Dallas Band The Vandoliers wear dresses to protest Tennessee Drag Ban

The Vandoliers, a punk rock country music band from Dallas Texas.

The Vandoliers, a punk rock country music band from Dallas Texas performed in dresses while on tour in Tennessee. They did this in protest of Tennesse's drag ban just a few hours after the state's top drag queen, now a republican shill, Gov. Bill Lee signed it into law.

The law prohibits adult cabaret performances from taking place on public property or in any place where minors might be present, and it threatens performers with misdemeanor charges for breaking the rules — or even felony charges for repeat offenses.

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A post shared by Vandoliers 🦂 (@vandoliers)

Their propensity for social activism earned them a feature in the Rolling Stones posting on Instagram "Fuck a drag bill. 🖕🏽 Gonna auction off the dresses we wore on stage in Tennessee tonight and donate the money to a couple of LGBTQ charities in this state. Details soon. 🏳️‍🌈🏳️‍⚧️".

Vandoliers multi-instrumentalist Cory Graves said that it was originally his idea to wear a dress during the show as his own act of solidarity. But once the rest of the band caught wind of Graves' planned personal protest, they quickly decided to join in on the effort with him.

"Whenever I told our bass player, 'I'm gonna do this,' he was like, 'That's a good idea,'" Graves told WFAA. "And then I told our guitar player, and he was like, 'I'm doing it too.' And then our fiddle player's like, 'I'm doing it too!'"

It wasn't long before all six Vandoliers were on board.

The Vandoliers are currently on tour in Europe and the USA with appearances in Denton, and Fort Worth Texas. The very affordable tickets can be purchased thru their website.

This is the stuff legends are made of.

Gov Bill Lee to appear in Drag on Billboards across Tennessee

Anti LGBT Tn Gov Bill Lee who did drag in 1977, will appear on billboards similar to this mockup on electronic billboards

TN Governor Bill Lee signed into law a bill that would criminalize drag shows and transgender people who attend them.

And unbelievably Tuesday a state lawmaker requested an amendment to add "hanging by a tree" to a bill authorizing firing squads for state executions.

A Gofundme is raising money to put Bill Lee's drag performance on electronic billboards across the state. According to organizer Zachary Heath Stampera on Friday it raised $65,196 with a billboard scheduled for a performance on the following weekend.

If Bill Lee had performed in drag as he did in 1977 to audiences he knew minors were attending, he would have been guilty of violating the law he just signed and sentenced to years in prison. Lee became upset when questioned about his drag performances and tried to excuse it as 'light-hearted fun'.

Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee calls photo of him in 'drag' a 'light-hearted school tradition'

Tenn. Gov. Bill Lee in drag second from the left.

Tennessee Governor Bill Lee has said that he will consider signing a bill making drag and transgender people who appear in public where minors "could" be present a felony.

SB 3/HB 9 makes it a felony for those who "provide entertainment that appeals to a prurient interest, or similar entertainers, regardless of whether or not performed for consideration."

What is "prurient interest"? It is material "having a tendency to excite lustful thoughts." as discussed in Roth v. United States, 354 U.S. 476 (1957)

The problem is a picture has emerged of Lee performing in drag publicly as a high school student during his senior year at Franklin High, Tenn. This image can be found in his yearbook 1977, on page 165.

👀 WATCH: “Do you remember dressing in drag in 1977? Is it only illegal when gay people do it?” @GovBillLee didn’t appreciate that we printed out the FRANKLIN HIGH YEARBOOK PHOTO — but did not deny it’s him. Meanwhile he’s about to make drag a felony by signing an absurd law.🤔 pic.twitter.com/C7YQcQyis3

— The Tennessee Holler (@TheTNHoller) February 27, 2023

I graduated about that time and I recall those events. They were held yearly at my high school. I found them disgusting as the spectacle denigrated femininity, and explicitly portrayed women as defenseless sexual toys while legitimizing white supremacy and toxic masculinity. (Lee appeared in a Confederate Uniform but has since called that a mistake)

Would Lee's drag performance appeal to prurient interests of his fellow minor high school students? I wasn't there, but really, that was what it was all about.

The New Republic reports that House Bill 9 is headed to Governor Bill Lee, who has said he will decide whether to sign the bill once it reaches his desk. If he does, the measure will go into effect on April 1, two months ahead of Pride Month. The bill bans “male or female impersonators who provide entertainment that appeals to prurient interest,” meaning of a sexual nature, either in public or if there is a minor present. The language is vague and makes no distinction between drag performers and transgender people.

When H.B. 9 was first introduced in November 2022, the ACLU of Tennessee noted that “dance, fashion, and music—essential components of a drag performance—are all protected by the First Amendment. Yet, these laws are written so broadly and vaguely that they would allow government officials to censor performers based on their own subjective viewpoints of what they deem appropriate on any given day.”

“So, let’s call this what it is—a malicious attempt to remove LGBTQ people from public life,” the group said in a statement.

The bill’s vagueness could also affect Pride celebrations, which last for the month of June. Drag performers or trans people appearing in public could be charged with felonies simply for existing.

Transgender people and drag artists dancing in a pride parade could be considered criminal.

Cops could begin arresting people at pride events in Tennessee for being "male or female impersonators" dancing down the street as so many of us have seen and partaken in.

— Erin Reed (@ErinInTheMorn) February 23, 2023

Demand the NYT cease lying about trans people

Why I Signed the New York Times Letter (And You Should, Too)

If you care about journalism, if you care about fairness, and you care about the truth, it should matter to you that "the paper of record" is constantly lying about trans people.

Parker Molloy: Why I Signed the New York Times Letter (And You Should, Too)

AND YOU CAN SIT BY AND WATCH OR YOU CAN REALIZE THAT YOUR FREEDOM IS TIED UP WITH OURS.

Trans activist Mara Glubka transcribed these important and brilliant words that were posted on Twitter 2 days ago by ACLU attorney Chase Strangio:

"In 2016 I began lobbying against anti-trans bills in state legislatures. At the time we were fighting back against the proliferation of the anti-trans bathroom bill and the false and weaponized narrative that trans people posed a threat to women and children in bathrooms.

In the years that followed, those pushing these bills (and ballot initiatives) admitted that the "safety" narrative fueling the bills in public discourse was entirely fabricated (which... of course it was). They shifted to focusing on privacy.

By shifting from "safety" to "privacy" the rhetoric fueling anti-trans bills placed the "problem" squarely on the body and existence of trans people. It was not something we *did* but just who we are and how we look that was the problem.

After Bostock and Biden's election, the escalation of attacks was swift. It began with the discourse around sports and quickly moved to healthcare. Fueled by global movements combating "gender ideology" (read: marshaling in fascism), this rhetoric took hold even more.

What started as "we just have concerns about competitive advantages in sports" quickly morphed into "aren't there really too many trans people and shouldn't we cut off the pathway from trans adolescence to trans adulthood".

From the pages of the New York Times to the legislative hearings across the country to kitchen table conversations - trans people became the endless fixation of those looking for a place for their fear about a changing world of increasing possibility.

Since at least 2016, I and many others have been raising the alarms about where this was all heading. It was never about bathrooms or sports or even healthcare. It is about what we represent - possibility outside of binaries, outside of notions of fixedness and essentialism.

If structures of power are dependent on us believing in the limits of what is possible - trans people represent an inherent threat to power.

We represent a freedom and possibility that is always a threat to the status quo.

I have been deep in this work for a long time but I will confess that I am surprised and horrified at where we find ourselves now in 2023. The sheer volume of bills and the prioritization of them. The coverage fixation at the Times and elsewhere.

Our society has accepted as legitimate our loss of healthcare, our frequent victimization, our death. As many as 14 States could ban healthcare for trans adolescents by mid-year. Almost half the country bands trans girls from sports.

If there is a "debate" about us among those in power - we are not a part of it. We are a spectacle for your consumption. That said we cannot be made on trans. There is no policy imperative that can change the fact of our existence. We are here as we always have been.

Governors Noem, Abbott, DeSantis, Cox, Hutchinson, Ivey. You may think you can sign off on our demise but we will rise stronger. To everyone who thinks we are worthy of concern but not agency, of your skepticism but not your respect, you write us off at your own peril.

None of this starts or ends with us.

Two governors have signed off on taking away our healthcare this session and it is not yet mid-February.

More of this is coming.

And you can sit by and watch or you can realize your freedom is tied up with ours."

Glaad: New York Times Sign On Letter

George Santos performed as Drag Artist in Rio: Report

Newly elected right Wing extremist George Santos is a Drag artist who performed as Kitara Ravache in Rio de Janeiro according to MSNBC columnist Marisa Kabas

Eula Rochard (L) Kitara Ravache (R)

Kabas said that she spoke to Brazilian Drag Queen Eula Rochard who said through a translator that Republican George Santos alias Anthony Devolder alias Anthony Zabrovsky has another nom de guerre, that of Kitara Ravache.

To be clear this article isn't a hit job. Drag artists have my highest regard. Many artists perform for charity causes undeterred by the proud boys and their ilk armed with M-15s who try to shut down these events. George Santos ran on a far-right platform paling up with the likes of Margaret Green and the GOP platform that vehemently opposes LGBTQI rights.

NEW: I just spoke by phone with Eula Rochard, a Brazilian drag queen who was friends with George Santos when he lived near Rio. She said everyone knew him as Anthony (*never* George), or by his drag name, Kitara, and confirms this photo is from a 2008 drag show at Icaraí Beach. pic.twitter.com/1MeeDR1O2O

— Marisa Kabas (@MarisaKabas) January 18, 2023

Santos who has gone on record calling LGBTQI people 'Groomers' despite being gay himself said that reports of him performing as a drag queen were 'categorically false'.

The most recent obsession from the media claiming that I am a drag Queen or “performed” as a drag Queen is categorically false.

The media continues to make outrageous claims about my life while I am working to deliver results.

I will not be distracted nor fazed by this.

— George Santos (@Santos4Congress) January 19, 2023

With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safe home for their transgender daughter

Watch: With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safer climate for their transgender daughter

By Olivia Yarvis, The Texas Tribune

Aug. 22, 2022

"Watch: With a “feeling of betrayal,” one family flees Texas in search of safer climate for their transgender daughter" was first published by The Texas Tribune, a nonprofit, nonpartisan media organization that informs Texans — and engages with them — about public policy, politics, government and statewide issues.

Watch more video.

Having trouble viewing? Watch this video on texastribune.org.

Ess Welsh spent her entire life in Texas. It’s where she fell in love with marching band, where she found a community of fellow Dungeons and Dragons players, and where she faced the looming threat of her family being investigated for child abuse.

In February, Gov. Greg Abbott told the Texas Department of Family Protective and Services to investigate families providing their transgender children with gender-affirming care. The directive is still in legal limbo.

[What is gender-affirming medical care for transgender children? Here’s what you need to know.]

For the Welsh family, leaving Texas means facing huge financial risks, severing community ties, and breaking bonds with trusted therapists and care providers. However, staying carries the threat of investigations, family separation and a loss of the crucial gender-affirming medical care that leading medical organizations have deemed medically necessary.

The Welsh family was just one of many grappling with this difficult decision.

---

The full program is now LIVE for the 2022 The Texas Tribune Festival, happening Sept. 22-24 in Austin. Explore the schedule of 100+ mind-expanding conversations coming to TribFest, including the inside track on the 2022 elections and the 2023 legislative session, the state of public and higher ed at this stage in the pandemic, why Texas suburbs are booming, why broadband access matters, the legacy of slavery, what really happened in Uvalde and so much more. See the program.

This article originally appeared in The Texas Tribune at https://www.texastribune.org/2022/08/22/family-with-transgender-daughter-flees-texas/.

The Texas Tribune is a member-supported, nonpartisan newsroom informing and engaging Texans on state politics and policy. Learn more at texastribune.org.

 

Transgender woman fatally Shot in East Houston Friday

 Marisela Castro / Houston Chronicle

A Transgender woman was shot in the back of her head and left for dead on a street in East Houston Friday morning.

The Houston Chronicle has identified the victim as Marisela Castro, who recently moved to Houston from North Carolina to be closer to her Family.

Houston police detectives told ABC13 that the shooting happened very quickly, in just 10 seconds.

A transgender woman is dead after a shooting in the middle this east side neighborhood off Wood Shadows & Centerwood.

It’s believed the victim was in her maroon Chrysler 200 when she stopped in the neighborhood & got out. The shooter got out from the backseat & shot her pic.twitter.com/OIIBcJTzsu

— Charly Edsitty (@CharlyABC13) July 29, 2022

The victim was shot in the back in the middle of Wood Shadows Drive near the East Freeway around 1:45 a.m. Friday, police said.

She was pronounced dead at the scene.

Detectives said the victim was driving her car -- a four-door maroon Chrysler 200 -- with two other people also inside.

Police said the woman stopped the car on Centerwood Drive at Wood Shadows Drive, and she and a man got out.

That's when the suspect fired one shot from behind before getting back in the car and taking off, according to HPD.

"Our victim stepped out of the vehicle, was driving another person - it's hard to say - they were dressed in black, possibly a male," Det. Sgt. Thomas Simmons said. "They got out of the backseat. There was one gunshot fired. The victim fell. The suspect returned to the back of the vehicle. The vehicle left."

According to the TDoR TransLivesMatter website, Castro is the 55th trans person murdered in the USA since the 2019 TDoR.

Rest in Peace Marisela Castro.

Investigators are urging anyone with information about the incident to contact the HPD Homicide Division at (713) 308-3600 or Crime Stoppers at (713) 222-8477.

Transgender woman found shot to death in detroit

Corporal Dani Woods

The body of a transgender woman was found in the 13800 block of Fenkell avenue on Monday evening. She suffered multipule gunshot wounds and was pronounced dead at the scene.

"Another trans woman of color has lost their life, and so it’s devastating to the community that this occurred," said Corporal Dani Woods.

Police have not yet identified her and are searching for a motive. If you have any information they are asking that you call 313-596-2260 or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-Speak-Up.

Comedy Venue First Avenue drops Dave Chappelle's show due to transphobia

Minneapolis' First Avenue on Wednesday canceled a Dave Chappelle show at the last minute after facing public backlash for booking the comedian, reports NBC

“To staff, artists, and our community, we hear you and we are sorry,” the venue said in a tweet, announcing that the evening’s show had been canceled.

We hear you. Tonight’s show has been cancelled at First Avenue and is moving to the Varsity Theater. See our full statement for more. pic.twitter.com/tkf7rz0cc7

— First Avenue (@FirstAvenue) July 20, 2022

(L) David Chappell  (R) Daphne Dorman 

David Chappelle earned a place in infamy for his part in the suicide of Daphne Dorman, the trans woman who killed herself after he humiliated her during the NetFlix special "The Closer".

First Avenue did the right thing by moving his show, as did Chappelle's alma mater when the students rose to protest and denied the school's renaming to Chappelle.

The venue has since been on the receiving end of much criticism and derogatory comments for doing so.

One person signed the Change.org petition calling on First Avenue not to host Chappelle just so they could denigrate those standing up to transphobia. That individual's comment mirrors the sentiments of the Fox News commentary below.

Trigger Warning: This outrageous and vile special is triggering to anyone who is woke.

The word "woke" has since been weaponized to dehumanize people of color and transgender people by the white oppressors. The outrageous premise that Gutfeld uses to validate his ridiculous premise that the oppressors are the liberators melts in the light of the day.

So where did the euphemism  "woke" start from? Some would say singer song writer Lead Belly who sang about 6 black teenagers who were falsely accused of raping two white women in Alabama.

To know history gives us an opportunity to benefit from others' experiences. I am proud to be a part of our tiny woke minority as it links my feeble efforts to those who have a historic and momentous past.

Florida to ban gender affirming medical care for all ages

Florida is attempting to do a back door ban of ALL gender affirming care by creating their own psuedo-scientific standards of care that will emphasize conversion therapy.

There will be a hearing on August 5 at 8am at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Marriot. Be there.

🚨🚨🚨 Florida is attempting to do a back door ban of ALL gender affirming care by creating their own psuedo-scientific standards of care that will emphasize conversion therapy. There will be a hearing on August 5 at 8am at the Ft. Lauderdale Airport Marriot. Be there. pic.twitter.com/7jkGpTcT3B

— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) July 21, 2022

Instead of passing a law or implementing a regulation, they will quietly gut the ability of doctors to treat trans patients by implementing this fake standards of care that will deny the existence of trans people and require conversion therapy.

— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) July 21, 2022

SEGM and Genspect members have been infiltrating various professional medical orgs to push anti-trans junk science and limit access to gender affirming care. This runs deep and there are several people involved. https://t.co/StG8GBPDuc

— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) July 21, 2022

This administrative attack on trans people is straight out of the playbook of how coverage for gender affirming care was eliminated in the 80's by a coalition of evangelical groups and TERFs. They were able to eliminate coverage of gender affirming care for 34 years.

— Alejandra Caraballo (@Esqueer_) July 21, 2022

related: DeSantis moves to ban transition care for transgender youths, Medicaid recipients

Duke Ellington School of Arts will not be named after David Chappelle

(L) David Chappell  (R) Daphne Dorman 

The Duke Ellington School of Arts, David Chappelle's alma mater will not be renamed after the transphobic comedian we learned on Monday.

Chappelle earned a place in infamy by launching into a transphobic tirade posthumously bashing transgender woman Daphne Dorman, his former prodigy who took her own life just days after NetFlix "Closer" aired.

Meet Daphne Dorman, The Trans woman who Killed Herself After Dave Chappelle Humiliated Her.

As told by her best friend Mia Satya. #NetflixWalkout #RememberDaphneNov20https://t.co/jrzyQaKEr9 pic.twitter.com/qlkXHPyjWe

— planetransgender (@planetrans) October 20, 2021

Students protested the proposed name change and forced postponment of the renaming in November.

Chappelle, who self-identifies as a "TERF" in solidarity with Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling said on Monday that he was "hurt" by the student's rejection.

Chappelle stated that he refused to allow his artistic freedom and expression to be a victim of "cancel culture," a catch phrase used by neo-nazies as a pejorative to denigrate transgender "woke" resistance.

The theater at the school was renamed the "Theater of Artistic Freedom & Expression" on Monday amid a kickoff of a million-dollar fundraising campaign championed by Chappelle.

Dallas Judge Removes TX AG Ken Paxton from Case Involving Trans Youth Healthcare

Ken Paxton

DALLAS, June 17, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- A judge in Dallas County today removed Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton from a lawsuit involving Dallas' Children's Medical Center and physicians there providing gender-affirming care for transgender youth.

Judge Melissa Bellan in Dallas County Court at Law No. 2 ruled that Mr. Paxton and his office do not have the authority to act in the case and that no state law was implicated.

"The attorney general has no business being in this case and tried to push his way into it to satisfy a political interest, not a legal one," says Charla Aldous, who along with law partner Brent Walker and attorney Stephen Malouf represent the plaintiff, Dr. Ximena Lopez.

Attorney General Paxton intervened in the case claiming gender-affirming care constitutes child abuse. During a two-hour hearing in front of Judge Bellan, attorneys for the AG questioned whether Dr. Lopez was following the proper standard of care, but the court rejected those arguments.

"The attorney general intervened in this lawsuit with no purpose but intimidation only," Mr. Walker told the court.

Dr. Lopez filed suit in April against Children's Medical Center in Dallas in order to continue providing gender-affirming care – including hormone treatments and puberty blockers – for transgender youth after such care was suspended last fall. She and others believe that action happened after the attorney general and Texas Gov. Greg Abbott pressured Children's and the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center to stop providing such treatment at the GENECIS clinic.

During the hearing in front of Judge Bellan, Mr. Malouf pointed out that use of puberty blockers for gender dysphoria is on an approved list of treatments written by the Texas Department of Health and Human Services.

Through the lawsuit, and a temporary injunction that is now in place, Dr. Lopez and other physicians at Children's are once again allowed to provide gender-affirming care.

16-year-old Tenn. trans girl denied an education live streams cops taking her in for truancy

A 16-year-old Tennesse transgender girl wanted to go to school but was denied the use of the correct bathroom so she couldn't. Eventually the state decided Vio Wynn was truant and took her from her family. So while while playing minecraft, cops busted her bedroom door down and before dragging her into foster care asked "are you winning".

As reported by The Gamer.com as can be seen in the last moments of Wynn’s live broadcast, the young woman does her best to ignore the presence of the officers when they break into her room. She was only able to transmit for 17 minutes before she was taken away, but she anticipated their arrival.

“This will probably be the last broadcast because they’re trying to get me to kill myself or go into foster care or something. Instead of just giving me an education,” Wynn opens on her broadcast. “Honestly, I just want to go to school. But they don’t want me to go to school because I’m trans. I’m so stressed.”

with her permission i uploaded the entire vod to youtube. she is safe and appreciates all the people who have reached out to show her supporthttps://t.co/oNrtCMKrww https://t.co/cSKC7ezMHC

— keffals (@keffals) May 7, 2022

Wynn continues to talk about her situation as she begins to play. “I love streaming. Honestly, it’s one of the only things in life that I really enjoy. And they’re trying to put me in foster care where I can’t even do that. I’ve already been adopted once, I don’t need to be adopted again.” I just need to be able to go to school I just worry about being abused."

“I don’t understand why the state of Tennessee would rather ruin a girl’s life than just let her go to school.”[…]I wish I had a future instead of having whatever chance I had to be happy in life taken away from me… I don’t know why they want to condemn me", said Wynn.

Keffals has asked legal professionals to contact her at inquiries@keffals.info if they can help Wynn. TheGamer has reached out to the streamer and will update this report if we hear anything more about Wynn’s situation.

How Junk Science is Being Used Against Trans Kids

This short Scientific American video explores how Junk Science is being used against transgender Kids.

Courageous TX Mother of Trans Son Amber Briggle appears on MSNBC

Amber Briggle, a TX mom of a transgender child has "no more words" to say to AG Ken Paxton, who’s labeled gender-affirming care for kids as child abuse. "He broke bread with my family and now he says that families like mine should not exist."

Mrs. Briggle was afraid for the safety of her children if she left them with loving relatives while she went to the GLAAD media awards. Her main concerns weren't about whether her kids would get enough to eat or make it to school on time. But about the Texas official state criminals should they steal them while she was away.

"The more people who are brave enough like Amber to tell their stories, the more we can engage Hollywood to have stories about our families and who we are. The more that people will understand." @sarahkateellis on @HallieOnMSNBC with @mrsbriggle talking attacks against trans kids pic.twitter.com/J0t0UcaDZf

— GLAAD (@glaad) April 5, 2022

'I am angry every single day because of the way the world treats my son' — Mom Amber Briggle delivered a tearful speech at the GLAAD Media Awards after being investigated for providing gender-affirming care for her trans son in Texas.

Thank you, @nowthisnews, for capturing the highlights of my speech at the @glaad awards. We need more people, orgs, and corporations to hold our elected officials accountable and stand up to #ProtectTransKids. https://t.co/TLxE5C4mz0

— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) April 5, 2022

Amber's powerful testimony against anti-trans legislation in 2021:

"I’m terrified because I’m the parent of a trans child. And I’m afraid that by speaking here today, my words will be used against me should #SB1646 or #SB1311 pass, & my sweet son whom I love more than life itself, will be taken from me."

"But here I am."

Digital Artist displays trans inclusive messages on billboards across the nation

Over 200 billboards in nearly every state displayed a transgender-inclusive message on the Transgender Day of Visibility. The artwork is courtesy of non-binary artist Rae Senarighi and is made possible with funding by the group Have a Gay Day.

The digital "blips" display for 10 seconds rotate with other paid messages. They are a powerfull way of reminding us and the general public that our lives truly do matter.

Rae wrote on Facebook "🏳️‍⚧ 205 billboard locations across the United States! 🏳️‍⚧ A huge thank you to Have A Gay Day for fundraising and spearheading this enormous billboard effort. They will be announcing all of the locations shortly! Just in time for Trans Week of Action (happening now) and Trans Day of Visibility on March 31st. ❤"

A digital billboard in Alvin, TX of all places. Thank you @transpainter and @HaveaGayDay! pic.twitter.com/giehqwQ8eN

— Local Woman ⚧ 🏳️‍⚧️ 🏳️‍🌈 (@iamtranslol) March 31, 2022

Some of the locations:

Alabama Brighton, Double sided billboard, south and north facing, I-59 350ft N/O 18th Ave ES, N/F near 18th Ave Bessemer, Double Sided Billboard, Southbound and northbound on I-459 to Bessemer Anniston, Highway 21 at Cedarbrook Lane, N/S facing

Alaska no signs available at this time

Arizona Deer Valley I-17 North and South Facing

Arkansas Bentonville, Double sided billboard at Walton Blvd at Rainbow Curve Texarcana, double sided billboard, located on a 1-way feeder road for I30E. Excellent visibility from the Stateline overpass and I30. Beside El Chico’s Mexican Restaurant. Across I30

California San Jose -Highway 101-North Bound Facing Near 4th Street

Colorado North Washington, Double Sided Billboard on 224 with visibility also on I-76 traffic as well as the I-76 westbound entrance ramp from I-270. Monument, Double sided billboard (I-25) heading inbound into the Colorado Springs area. Near Woodmore

Connecticut West Haven, I-95 South Near Exit 43 in West Haven. Just south of downtown New Haven.

Delaware Not available at this time

Florida Orlando, on Colonial Drive West Facing Fort Lauderdale, Double Sided North and South facing, located at Florida Turn Pike (Highway 91) @ Highway 441 Intersection F/S Gulf Breeze, Gulf Breeze Parkway by marble court facing east bound. Navarre, Just before the light and before McDonalds and Walmart Supercenter, highway 98 east bound traffic. Freeport, highway 331 by black creek road. South Bound Facing Panama City Beach, Highway 30 just off of 98 by Promenade Shopping Mall

Georgia Atlanta I-75 North and South Facing Near Fulton Street Americus, West bound facing highway 280 and Mayo street Thomasville, highway 319 and 35 north bound facing Valdosta, On 4 lane divided highway directly off I-75 exit

Hawaii Not available at this time

Idaho Nampa, Highway 84 and east times square east bound facing, left side of the road when driving Illinois Chicago – near 55 and South Archer Chicago -near Stevenson and S. Wabash Chicago – on west 55th near 25th

Indiana Lake Station, Double sided billboard near I-80 / 94 near east 18th ave. Clarksville, Right-hand read for southbound traffic on I-65 at MM 1.10. Above Tom Stinnett RV. Iowa Dubuque, Located on HWY 20 at a major intersection, HWY 20 and Old HWY Rd, at the west end of town. Very close to the County fairgrounds

Kansas Wichita: Left Facing Right Next to Us 81 – North Bound Newton, along the I-135 between 24th and 36th Streets in Newton, KS. This billboard is a left hand read Wichita, Right read sign right next to the Road on US – 82 Wichita, Located just East Kellogg Dr just East of Rock Road. Motorist Traveling West on Kellogg to most Major businesses and Shopping areas in Wichita. Around the corner from Towne East shopping Mall.

Louisiana Lafayette I-10 Near I-49 West Facing Bossier City, Located at a 4 way stop on Pines Road @ Financial Plaza immediately off I20 E. exit. Gonzales, off highway 61 South Bound

Maine Not available at this time Maryland Not available at this time Massachusetts Not available at this time

Michigan I-75 at Waterman Ave South Facing Romulus, I-275 traveling south to Western Wayne County, and Monroe toward Toledo, Ohio. It also reaches people exiting to Detroit Metro Airport’s west entrance by being the last billboard before the exit. Allen Park, South Bound 75 near goddard Ave. Lincoln Park, South South 75 East facing Detroit: northbound I-75 Also visible to I-96, I-94, or just continuing on Northbound I-75. This digital billboard has additional bonus viewing from Fort St. and Waterman Ave, in the heart of SW Detroit, directly across from produce terminal. Bonus view: Fort St. at a traffic light. Rochester Hills, Can be seen traveling east on M-59 towards Warren, Sterling Hgts, Shelby Twp., Utica, and Madison Hgts and from I-75, Auburn Hills, Bloomfield Hills, Bloomfield Township, Southfield, Troy, Pontiac, Clarkston, Waterford . Auburn Hills, north bound I-75

Minnesota Grand Rapids, Located between Grand Rapids and Cohassset on US HWY 2. Blaine, double sided billboard 9002 Baltimore Street NE,Blaine Fridley, double sided S/S I-694 .6 miles E/O Hwy. 252 F/W Hastings, highway 61 and 55 east bound traffic visibility Grand Rapids, Located between Grand Rapids and Cohassset on US HWY 2. Double sided billboard Grand Rapids, Located on US 169 as entering Grand Rapids.

Mississippi Pearl Near I-20 and I-49 East Facing Magee, double sided billboard located on Hwy 49 in Magee, MS. It is located right at the intersection as you turn into Walmart, across the road from Berry’s Seafood.

Columbia, located on busy Highway 98. Located along the primary retail corridor near the entrance to the Walmart Supercenter. Florence, located on the left side of Highway 49 when traveling North. It is within clear view of Berry Seafood Restaurant and Spinners of Florence on the right. Columbus, double sided, north and south bound located on the left side of Highway 82 when driving east towards the Columbus exit, Collinsville, south bound highway 19

Missouri St. Charles, This billboard reaches eastbound traffic just east of Cave Springs. off I-70 east facing Springfield- East Side Campbell south of Battlefield, South Face

Montana Billings West bound Traffic Near I90- and 87

Nebraska Kearney, Highway 30 and North Ave East Bound facing

Nevada Las Vegas 7165 Rafael Ridge Way, Clark County, South Bound and North Bound

New Hampshire No billboards available at this location

New Jersey Pleasantville, This Atlantic City BEACH bound digital billboard is located at the very busy intersection of the Black Horse Pike and Route 9 the Garden State Parkway, Route 9 and Northfield.

New Mexico Clovis. 3018 N Prince st in Clovis, NM. Just north of the Mall and upper end restaurants

New York

North Carolina Charlotte, highway 77 South Bound and 277 interchange Fayetteville, Highway 59, @ Highway 162, WS, N/F Greensboro, I-40 Unit Eastbound .5 Miles before HWY 68 and the Piedmont Traid Regional Airport Jacksonville, 1476 Piney Green Rd. Jacksonville just W/O Old 30 Rd. SS.

North Dakota Bismark, I-277 949 Brookshire Frwy, West Facing

Ohio Cincinnati I-75 South Facing Near Ludlow Ave Cincinnati via I-71. This display is immediately adjacent to the southbound ramp from I-71 to Martin Luther King Boulevard Cincinnati via I-71 North Bound near delway street Cincinnati I-71 N Bound Facing and Edwards Road Dayton, I-75 North Facing Near Highway 35 Lorain, N Leavitt Rd. in Lorain. This north facing digital is visible as you travel south on N Leavitt Rd.

Oklahoma Oklahoma City I-40 Facing West Near S. Macarthur Blvd Woodward, Near highway 270 and 34

Oregon Klamath Falls, Washburn Way WestLine 85′ S of S 6th St North bound traffic Hillsboro, West and East Bound Double Sided, By road 8 and Aloha Milwaukee, Double sided billboard on SE Mcloughlin Blvd and SE Moores street

Pennsylvania Wind Gap, Route 33 in Wind Gap. It sits between two booming areas, the Lehigh Valley and the Pocono Mountains. Sciota, highway 209 South facing in Sciota

Rhode Island not available in this location

South Carolina Little River, Hwy 17 Byp, Little River – next to Jimmy G’s Cash & Dash and the Little River Village Shopping Center, just 2.2 miles from the NC line Conway, Conway – intersection / overpass near Christ Community Church Lexington Oak Grove, Hwy 1 at Ermine Rd, East Facing North Charleston, double sided on 642 by Patriot Blvd.

South Dakota

Tennessee La Vergne, TN I-24 East and West Facing Near New Paul Road Memphis- double sided billboard located along I-40 right next to Wolf River at the I-40 and I-240 Flyover Kingsport, Viewed from Stop Light at E. Stone Drive and Eastman Road. Located in the Longhorn Steakhouse Parking Lot Johnson City, Digital Board near Winged Deer Park. Near Johnson City Motor Mile. Target Piney Flats, Bluff City and Bristol State of Franklin Rd @ Walnut St. Target ETSU, Ballad Hospital, Chick-fil-a, Fresh Market and Publix Hickory, Board located in Hickory north bound facing

Texas San Antonio Texas 303 W Loop West Facing and East Facing Near Castle Hills Jarrell I-35 North Facing Near Jarrell San Benito- 802 Scott Brown Hwy 77 (69 E Access Road) Amarillo, Located across from Westgate Regional Mall Wharton, US Hwy 59 820′ N/O FM 102 West Side Carizzo Springs, Hwy 83 @ Hwy 277 Del Rio – US 277 @ US 90 Odessa- Right-hand read billboard in the center of Odessa on I-20 Burleson – Wilshire Blvd right side of the road Missouri City, Double Sided Billboard South Sam Houston Pkwy W/ W/O Fondren Alvin – Hwy 35 S/O FM 528 South Bound Facing Frisco- Double Sided Billboard Frisco & Little Elm on FM 423 n/o Lubbock, near highway 62 west bound facing

Utah South Salt Lake Along I-80 East Bound Facing

Vermont

Virginia Chesapeake, VA near highway 58 and Snowden street East Facing

Washington Everett, located in North Seattle near the intersection of two major freeways: I-5 and I-405. It is in close proximity to the Alderwood Mall Tacoma, Visible on 72nd St E at Canyon Rd E intersection.

West Virginia None available at this time

Wisconsin Lake Hallie, located on I-53 north facing and south facing Rothschild, Hwy 29 at Business 51, 1/2 mile East of 39/51 – Wausau Waunakee, double sided billboard De, Pere, on highway 41 heading into Green Bay and Lambeau Field Oshkosh, I-41 north of HWY 21 – Oshkosh Oshkosh I-41, 1/4 mile north of HWY 26 – Oshkosh Fond du Lac, I-41, N of Johnson St. – Fond du Lac

Wyoming

MS Republican Calls For the execution of Transgender "groomers"

Rober Foster /Twitter screengrab

Robert Foster a former GOP state representative and gubernatorial candidate from Missippi has called for the execution of thousands of trans affirming parents, doctors, politicians, lawyers, and advocates.

Why shoot thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of innocent people?

Foster explained in a later tweet that it would be more cost-effective to shoot 'enablers' as opposed to gassing or pushing people out of airborne aircraft. Foster is an expert on murder as he is the author of Missippi's current death penalty law.

This fucking lunatic is an elected official. Twitter doesn’t seem to have a problem with his tweets baselessly calling people pedophiles and calling for them to be put to death, though. pic.twitter.com/zxxzYuwJRg

— Parker Molloy (@ParkerMolloy) March 26, 2022

Source Mississippi Free Press:

Foster, who runs Cedar Hill Farm, an agritourism business in DeSoto County, Miss., served as a state representative from 2016 until 2020, where he authored the state’s current death penalty law in 2017, allowing for executions by gas chamber, electrocution and firing squad. He placed third in the 2019 Republican primary for governor after making national headlines for refusing to allow women journalists to ride along in his truck on the campaign trail despite allowing male journalists to do so.

Despite winning less than 18% of the GOP primary vote, Foster’s farm venue has become a prime destination for Republicans since 2019, with GOP officials like U.S. Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith, U.S. House Rep. Trent Kelly and House Speaker Philip Gunn attending fundraisers and other events on the property.

I see this really set some of the wackos off, let me elaborate for you.

First, that tweet says nothing about shooting or killing transgendered people. It clearly says groomers.

I’ll explain further….

— Robert Foster (@RobertFoster4MS) March 26, 2022

Foster can't explain further because Twitter removed his tweets calling for the execution of parents, doctors, transgender advocates, and allies.

Update 4/4/2022

No.
But, I’m proud to have been involved in your suspension.#TransRightsAreHumanRights pic.twitter.com/LD93MfpOim

— Chandler (@writtenword1960) March 27, 2022

Twitter has found Foster was in violation of rules against abuse and harassment and has deleted his account

Denton Texas Passes a Trans Inclusive Non-Discrimination Ordinance

Paxton enjoyed breaking bread with the Briggle family in 2016. The Briggle family hoped that in spending time with them he would come to appreciate true Texas family values.

The hometown of a transgender family that is being attacked by the state just passed a trans-inclusive LGBTQI Non-Discrimination Ordinance. 

On Tuesday the Denton City Council voted 5-2 to pass the NDO which prohibits discrimination in housing, employment, and public accommodations based on a person's race, color, national origin, age, religion, disability, sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity.

Denton now joins with Austin, Dallas, Fort Worth, Plano, and San Antonio in protecting all LGBTQI citizens. The state has tried in the past laws to invalidate local Ordinances but it remains to be seen if the Republican dominated legislature will be successful.

Violations of the NDO can be prosecuted as a Class C misdemeanor, which carries a maximum $500 fine per violation.

The city council approved the measure in a 5-to-2 vote, with Mayor Gerard Hudspeth and councilmember Jesse Davis being the only dissenting votes. KERA reports that Hudspeth is facing Denton Mayor Pro Tem Paul Meltzer in the May election for mayor,  Meltzer who currently holds Council seat 6 voted to pass the NDO, and is highly favored by all Denton progressives.

It PASSES!

It's now prohibited in denton, TX to discriminate against LGBTQ people.

This took YEARS. It shouldn't have been this hard. But it got done. Huge props to the queer folx who got this over the finish line.

This is the Texas that I know and love. So proud. pic.twitter.com/b8zrDeoGaz

— Amber Briggle (she/her) (@mrsbriggle) March 23, 2022

"It took YEARS to get this done, but it couldn't have come at a better time", wrote Amber Briggle, whose son Max is transgender. 

Previously, Gov. Gregg Abbott had illegally directed the Texas Child Protective Services to investigate parents of transgender children with the endgame of charging them with Child Abuse. Ambers's family was one of nine families CPS visited before a judge ruled against the visits temporarily stopping Abbott.

The following rulings which were challenged by Attorney General Ken Paxton affirmed that state persecution of trans families due to a child being transgender is unconstitutional.

Ken Paxton has asked the state Supreme Court to intervene to allow child abuse investigations into parents of transgender children. His request comes just days after a Texas appeals court reinstated a temporary injunction blocking the state's child welfare agency from investigating parents solely because they provide gender-affirming care to their children.

"Denton, Texas FINALLY passed a comprehensive LGBTQ non-discrimination ordinance last night." Amber Briggle wrote in a Facebook post. "Literally every person who spoke last night was in favor of the new law, because despite what the rest of the country thinks about Texas, there truly are big-hearted, kind people down here who love their neighbors. Even their queer ones."

"I've advocated for this publicly for years and for a long time, it seemed like this day would never come -- but thanks to the outstanding work of Pridenton and OUTreach Denton, the motion passed 5-2 and we can really say that "y'all means all" in Denton. They SHOWED UP and organized and rallied and spoke out, and they should be very very proud of themselves. (I know I am.)"

"Two thumbs down to Councilmember Davis who proposed an amendment (that failed) because he had "valid, non-bigoted reasons" to keep trans people (including my son, whom he knows personally) out of the bathroom. But HUGE LOVE to everyone who showed the hell up for LGBTQ folx last night because we needed that win, now more than ever," wrote Briggle.

Chicago Transgender woman Tatiana Labelle found dead in a trash bin

 

Tatiana Labelle / Facebook

Tatiana ("Tee Tee") Labelle, 33, was found dead five days after being reported missing in a trash can Friday afternoon in Chatham on the South Side of Chicago.

The police say that she was beaten to death. An autopsy ruled her death a homicide.

Trigger warning deadnaming

"It is heartbreaking for someone to beat her to death and throw her in the trash like she was garbage," said her sister Shameika Thomas.

The TDoR Trans Lives Matters project reports that Tatiana Labelle is the 30th trans person to be murdered since the 2021 TDoR and the second transgender homicide to take place in the Chicago area during March.

R.I.P. Tatiana ("Tee Tee") Labelle

Father kills his transgender daughter, then shoots himself

Kathryn Newhouse / Facebook

Around 5:45 p.m. on Saturday, Cherokee County Police responded to a Canton, Ga. home where officials confirmed Howard Newhouse, 57, shot and killed his 19-year-old daughter, Kathryn Newhouse, before killing himself, cbs46 reports

Her brother, Cris, was awoken Saturday evening with a voice mail and texts telling him about the tragic news. He told cbs46 that he wanted to add some context to the story. He said his sister, a transgender woman, had suffered from years of mental health issues.

He said that Kathryn had just been released from a mental health facility before her father shot and killed her.

Rest In Peace Kathryn Newhouse.