SoulCycle? More like soul-sucking
The owner of the company wants to raise Trump a lot of money.
I don’t know how Internet laws like Rule 34 and Godwin’s Law are created, but I feel like one should be something like, “Anyone who claims an obvious kind of bigotry doesn’t exist is probably that kind of bigot.”
In addition to Tucker Carlson, it would actually account for most anti-LGBTQ bigots! #LoveTheSinnerHateTheSin
Anyways, this week is just brutal and trying to find some jest in a sea of despair feels like it’s worth the effort. Here are some LGBTQ news stories for you!
A ban with no bans
Something fishy is going on with Trump’s trans military ban. It’s been in effect since April, but the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps all told the Washington Blade that not a single service member has been discharged and not a single individual was denied enlistment. The U.S. Coast Guard did report denying enlistment to two individuals, but that still seems low.
Among the lawsuits challenging the ban are plaintiffs who want to enlist but can’t, so we know the count is wrong. Given how much the Trump administration has tried to cover-up other aspects of the ban’s implementation, there’s every reason to be suspicious about these responses as well.
Equinox and SoulCycle face boycotts over Trump support
Stephen Ross, owner of Equinox Fitness Clubs and SoulCycle, is hosting a big money fundraiser for Trump’s reelection campaign. As LGBTQNation notes, many LGBTQ people are joining boycotts and cancelling their memberships in protest:
The SoulCycle CEO put out a statement promising that Ross is just a “passive investor” and no company profits are used to fund politicians. Maybe so, but at $34 for a single class, Ross is probably getting a pretty nice return on that investment and we know how he’s spending it.
Today in leniency for homophobia
Last year, Christian activist Paul Dorr checked out several LGBTQ children’s books from the library in Orange City, Iowa and filmed himself burning them. This week he was found guilty of 5th degree criminal mischief and fined the very minimum for his crime — $65 with a 35% criminal penalty surcharge and court costs. The state’s attorney had requested the maximum penalty — $650.
In a written statement, Dorr claimed he was trying to “protect the children of Orange City from being seduced into a life of sin and misery.”
The video is still on Facebook if you want to watch it. Or, you can read the great interview I did last year with the author of one of the books he burned.
Another bigot who claims to care about kids
The mayor of Barnegat, New Jersey has launched a campaign to overturn the state’s law requiring that public schools include the political, economic, and social contributions of both LGBTQ people and people with disabilities in their curriculums. According to Mayor Alfonso Cirulli, the LGBTQ movement is “an affront to almighty God.”
Other leaders in the community have kind of tried to distance themselves from Cirulli’s comments, but none have actually defended the importance of an inclusive curriculum. Schools that teach about LGBTQ people have less bullying and higher success rates for their LGBTQ students.
As Joe Jervis notes, Cirulli’s Facebook page “is full of the usual anti-Obama, anti-Hillary, anti-LGBT propaganda
Gun rights are not gay rights
“White Power Barbie” Tomi Lahren took to Fox News to claim that “gun rights are also LGBT rights.” Just no.
Allies can’t be threatened so easily
Lorna Slater, the new co-leader of Scottland’s Green Party revealed over the weekend that she had been threatened as being outed as transgender. She called out that nonsense:
I’ve seen many of my detractors assume that I’m trans too. (Why else would I advocate for trans rights?) It’s incredibly flattering!
More Taylor Swift baiting
Taylor Swift fans are all a-twitter again about the possibility that the pop star might be bisexual. Following her upside-down-bi-flag-colored hair in her “You Need To Calm Down” video, she has now posted a picture of a bracelet that says “Proud” and has the same colors.
It turns out the bracelets were just a gift, so it’s probably a total fluke. It’d be cool if she were bi, but only if she actually came out. Just teasing about it seems really unhelpful.
Until next time, stay platinum!
(SoulCycle photo credit: Flickr/Shinya Suzuki.)