Indeed, re:infighting.Alvin, this is a fantastic post.
When Tony Perkins attacks Amanda, he’s attacking ME and every other woman. But it’s not as if that’s anything new…

Despite suffering several rounds of defeat on the state level, the Senate’s pro-abortion dream team of Sens. Ted Kennedy (D-Mass.) and Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.) reintroduced an archaic (and unnecessary) Equal Rights Amendment for consideration. In conjunction with the Feminist Majority Foundation, liberals hope their transparent ploy for women’s rights will ultimately nullify parental notification laws and the Hyde Amendment, which bans the use of taxpayer funds for abortions.
As an added bonus to same-sex marriage advocates, a federal ERA would create a legal avenue for attacking traditional marriage. Already a Maryland state court has ruled in favor of same-sex unions on the grounds that the state’s ERA prohibits a “sex-based classification.” If feminists were truly concerned about women, they would concentrate their efforts not on achieving a status they already enjoy but on policies that will reverse the worldwide phenomena of sex selection abortion and infanticide that have resulted in an estimated 100 million missing girls. It is clear that what radical liberals lack in principle, they certainly make up for in persistence.

“Is there going to be a transgender quota now in the Obama administration?”A better question: Was there a transgender quota in the George W. Bush administration?
Answer: Yes.
The target quota percentage was 0.00%, and it was achieved.
An even better question than that: Was there a christianist quota in the George W. Bush administration?
Answer: Yes.
The target quota percentage was 100.00%, and it was pretty damn close to being achieved.

United States of Theocracywas their ultimate goal and the stench still lingers in the air. Or is that Rove’s aftershave?

“Or is that Rove’s aftershave?”Well, the smell is coming from Rove – but, trust me, you don’t want to know what part of him it is.

Not a surprise…We need a simple, cutting response to this sort of thing.
Not in any way to minimize the realities for our trans citizens, but for the casual outsider, what the hell is the difference? Assuming that you don’t want to know someone as an actual person (as is very clear they don’t.)
I know that they are presenting this as drag and costuming (and apparently the idea that someone is going to alternate gender presentation ummm, willy-nilly.
But really, outside of being on fairly intimate (including close friendship) terms with someone who is in or post transition, for the average person, this comes down to an obsession with what’s going on under someone else’s clothes.
Can we just look them in the eye and tell them to stop peeking in the restroom?

STOP the FaRC(e) in its tracks! Expose Tony Perkins LiesIf I had Tony Perkins’ deep pockets, this is what I’d be sending out in response:
Dear Fellow American:
In early January 2010, while most Americans were struggling with Arctic weather conditions exacerbated by global warming, the so-called “Family Research Council”(FaRC(e)) dropped another bombshell in its Dominionist agenda to turn America into a backward quasi-religious tyranny by mounting an uninformed and ignorant attack on the Presidential appointment of  Amanda Simpson, who actually is a highly qualified  rocket scientist and a former Democratic congressional candidate, to a senior position at the Department of Commerce.
Incredibly, Tony Perkins, the head of the FaRC(e), based his attack on a complete misunderstanding of who Amanda Simpson is.  He characterizes her as a “man who had sex change surgery and now calls himself a woman” when everyone who has half a brain knows (a) that transgender women are not men, and even if they spend many years trying to assimilate in accordance with societal expectations, they were never really men in the first place; (b) that the surgical procedure does not involve a “sex change” but rather a reconstruction of a wolffian duct system so that it conforms as closely as possible to the mullerian duct system that closely matches the individual’s brain development, and (c) that women, whether they were assigned female at birth or are transgender, are women.
Perkins, who has absolutely no qualifications or expertise on the subjects of either transsexuality or Christianity, tries to scare other uninformed people into sending him money so he can live a cushy life and perhaps emulate Jim Bakker and build himself a nice air-conditioned dog house.
From a real Christian point of view, Perkins apparently has never bothered to open up his Bible to read the warm and welcoming words of Isaiah. Chapter 56, in which we learn, in verses 3-8:

3Neither let the son of the stranger, that hath joined himself to the LORD, speak, saying, The LORD hath utterly separated me from his people: neither let the eunuch say, Behold, I am a dry tree.
4For thus saith the LORD unto the eunuchs that keep my sabbaths, and choose the things that please me, and take hold of my covenant;
5Even unto them will I give in mine house and within my walls a place and a name better than of sons and of daughters: I will give them an everlasting name, that shall not be cut off.
6Also the sons of the stranger, that join themselves to the LORD, to serve him, and to love the name of the LORD, to be his servants, every one that keepeth the sabbath from polluting it, and taketh hold of my covenant;
7Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.
8The Lord GOD, which gathereth the outcasts of Israel saith, Yet will I gather others to him, beside those that are gathered unto him.

What Perkins should know, but hasn’t a clue, is that the biblical term “eunuchs” includes people who today would be called “transgender.”  And God loves transgender people, even if sad sack Perkins does not know how to love his neighbors who are strange and different.
Even the Lord Jesus knew that the term “eunuchs” includes a number of different kinds of people, when he is quoted in Matthew 19:12 as saying:

“12For there are some eunuchs, which were so born from their mother’s womb: and there are some eunuchs, which were made eunuchs of men: and there be eunuchs, which have made themselves eunuchs for the kingdom of heaven’s sake. He that is able to receive it, let him receive it.”

Transgender people are “so born from their mother’s womb.”  Misassigned a sex at birth, they spend their early lives being told they are something they know deep inside that they are not.  Some transition early in life, while others continue their struggle into mid-life.  Some will have surgical intervention, while others will not.  Christians know that God loves transgender people and has a special place in heaven “in my (God’s) house within my (God’s) walls a place and a name . . . an everlasting name that shall not be cut off.”
If Isaiah’s and Jesus’ own words are not enough, there is always Acts 8:

36And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized?
37And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And the eunuch answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God.
38And the eunuch commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized the eunuch.
39And when they were come up out of the water, the Spirit of the Lord caught away Philip, that the eunuch saw him no more: and he went on his way rejoicing.

This story begins with the eunuch reading the Book of Isaiah, and already up to Chapter 53.  The message is clear – here is a eunuch who, while already a eunuch, has accepted the kingdom of heaven and is baptized, and respected as a human being – something one does not see in FaRC(e)’s or Perkins’ screed.
How different an outcome from that advocated by ignorant and uninformed FaRC(e) leader Tony Perkins, who in his January letter, calls “gender identity disorder” a “recognized mental illness” that “should be treated” – and yet he inexplicably criticizes the only legitimate form of treatment, which is to eliminate the discord between the brain development and the genital duct development, to allow the transgender person to live properly within the societally-expected binary of sex and gender.
Perkins believes that highly-qualified transgender people should not be allowed to have employment on the same standard as anyone else.  Perkins does not even understand the biological sex is not solely resident in the genital duct development but includes the entire development of the bodily anatomy, including the brain.
Perkins, his organization, and the many other misnamed and evil organizations that slimily slither their anti-American agenda into the minds of Americans by clothing it in a semblance of Christianity, are trying to seduce the American people into their Dominionist camp – trying to make America, which is a nation built and made great on the diversity of origin, race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation and gender identity, into a third world nation cowering in the thrall of false prophets of a twisted religion.
The only difference between Christianists and Islamists, is that the Islamists are already stoning to death people who are different.  Christianists like Perkins merely want to introduce some electroshock therapy and other “reparative” treatments,  and perhaps pre-frontal lobotomies, to “treat” people who don’t agree with his agenda.
What can we do about it?  The first thing Christians and other people with an informed conscience and in the possession of a moral compass including right reason, who believe in equal rights for all Americans must do, is to write and call your Congressmember and United States Senator, and let them know that you support the passage of an Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) that protects transgender people, as well as others who are subject to discrimination because of other immutable characteristics such as their different sexual orientation.
Right now, transgender people nationwide are protected only for federal employment by a presidential executive order.  There are a number of states and localities that provide greater protections, but sadly, many Americans are not protected against people like Perkins.  We actually need a full-fledged civil rights act revision, but a fully-inclusive ENDA is a good start.
Keep Perkins and his FaRC(e) at bay – write your Congress Rep. today!
Yours in the Struggle for Equality,
Joann Prinzivalli
State Director
New York Transgender Rights Organization

The use of quotesI see they used quotes around her name. I was taught the only times one uses quotes are if you are quoting an outside source, or if you are quoting a book title, or to indicate your non-acceptance of a thing.
Perkins needs to be hit upside the head with the nearest grammatical style book until he gets this. We are not going to be marginalized by quote marks.

Sick of the Right’s ignorantTony Perkins, who does not realise that people with vaginas are usually referred to as women whatever they wear and not as crossdressers, once again attemted to impose his non scientific views derived from his made up “research council” and his made up cult based loosely upon the teachings of christ.
There—that is how Tony Perkins ought to be referred to by news services…

One of my fondest wishesis for Tony Perkins to get caught–finally–with his pants down in a men’s room somewhere, giving head to a rentboy.  We all know his true proclivities; this many gaydar detectors can’t be wrong.  And it would be extra sweet if the guy he got caught with was Tom Cruise, er, famous.

That’s Obama’s Warren deoderant you’re smelling

I applaud you, JoannYou should send this into the WSJ and the NY newspapers as an OP-ED piece.  Maybe those religious goons will see how wrong they are.

Wow….That was absolutely great!

LGBTs should use this as a teaching moment against our enemiesBegin a website called “NOBODY’S BUSINESS BUT OUR OWN”
Then challenge the haters to post certified photos of their genitals, since they are so nosey about what’s between other people’s legs.
Come on Tony Perkins show us your little dicklet with the pale blue skin against the BOZO colored red dye #2 JUST FOR MEN combed in your pubes.
Maggie Gallagher Muff Up or Shut Up
Bishop Malone show us your cock in that frock
Barbara LaHaye snap a shot of your snatch, and pucker those tired lips.
If they want to focus on other folks genitals, then they should have no problem proving they haven’t altered what their God gave them.
The only problem with this plan, will be Porno Petey LaBarbera we can barely keep that creepy old fool from dropping his assless chaps any day of the week.

Remove protections for ChurchesDon’t force Americans to hire bigots, creationists, and domionists.
Anti-clericalism: The only to protect your constitution and your family from delusional pastors like Ron Parsley

Hold on!Actually, Louise the stench is still there! Their goal is is still out there… alive and well!
Just because Obama’s in the Oval Office and the Dems run both chambers of Congress, it doesn’t mean the bastions of Dominionism have run for the hills.
All you need do is look at the racist spewings of the teabaggers, combined with the anti-woman Stupack and Nelson amendments to the health “reform” bill and know that the religious reicht’s fingerprints are all over it! I wonder if access to birth control paid for by insurance is this bill or not?

The answer is YES!Bigots like them want nothing more than to return to their delusion of the 1950′s they see on DVDs of Leave it to Beaver, Father Knows Best, The Adventures of Ozzie and Harriet, ad nauseum: women were in the home as domestic slaves, blacks lived on the bad part of town and rode in the back of the bus and knew their place, people who were mentally retarded were put in asylums, and those f*gs and man-haters stayed in the closet!

That’s the thingHe will not accept the fact she is a women. He thinks he is a fake woman.
Speaking of, If I had a dollar for each scare quote these hate groups use to demean trans folk, I would have enough money for surgery.
Dena

Well, they put quotes around the first names of trans people …as a way of denying the female gender identities of trans-identified women and the male identities of trans-identified men.
I’ve personally had religious right and Harry Benjamin Syndrome (HBS) affiliated people do that with my first name as well. It doesn’t matter that my legal first name is Autumn — I’m always going to be “Autumn” to many of these folk as a way to 1) deny I’m female, and to 2) deny that I’m in anyway as human as they are.
Hey, I know who I am; I’m positive Amanda knows who she is. Putting quotes around my first name doesn’t make me male; putting quotes around Amanda Simpson’s first name doesn’t make her male. Having one’s gender identity is an irritating function of being a public trans person, but that’s the way it goes.
I know I’ve developed a pretty thick skin, and imagine Amanda has developed a pretty thick skin herself as well.

Sorry for the typo. I get so flustered with these idiot haters. Sorry for the typo.
Correction: He thinks she is a fake woman.
Dena

Exacly Louise; the Right uses these events as an introand if you listen carefully, the real agenda comes out quickly:
No Abortion
No Emergency contraception
No assisted fertilisation outside of marriage
No contraception outside of marriage
Women back woking in the home
Women out of the pulpit.
No divorse except in rare instances
Gays, Lesbians, Transsexuals…oh my….are really just the teaser and attention getter.
The agenda ia all about the primacy of men, the being ‘made in the image and likeness of God” while women are both weak, submissive and responsible for the fall of man
We need to keep the real agenda in the public eye, we need to remind the public just how drastic and draconian the Right’s goals are. I’ve never understood why our spokespeople dont use every possible opportunity to do so.