The Salvation Army has a long history of anti-LGBTQ+ stances and policies. They have fought to be able to circumvent laws that block churches from discriminating against LGBTQ+ individuals.  Their shelters and recovery facilities have repeatedly been investigated for denying access to LGB and especially Transgender individuals.  The evangelical organization has been at continued odds with the LGBTQ+ community, and that's why many were surprised when Sunshine Cathedral, the world's largest Queer church, was recently given the Community Hero of the Year Award.  The award was presented to the food ministry team, and was accepted by Reverend Anne Atwell. The Special Events and Community Events Coordinator for the local Salvation Army ministry, Robert Beasley, appeared at Sunshine Cathedral yesterday to speak at their Sunday Service about how an organization that has traditionally not been queer friendly ended up partnering with a Queer church. Beasley explained how happy he was to work with the LGBTQ+ community, which he stated was his community as well.  He told the story of how the Salvation Army food pantry had fallen on hard times during pandemic, and how food donations were difficult to get.  He said that the group's PR team reached out to several organizations in the area, and it was only Sunshine Cathedral who responded. Beasley said of Sunshine, "You not only say it, you mean it when you say you will support the community... You not only talk the talk, you walk the walk

This coming Sunday, February 19th, Sunshine Cathedral will present a special showing of 'The Halls Of Power', a documentary that showcases the historic political run of Elijah Manley, the youngest candidate for Florida State House.  Tonight we present a special interview by Sunshine Cathedral's own Reverend Dr. Durrell Watkins with film directors Janay Joseph, Graciel Quezada, and Bianca Vucetich as well as Elijah Manley himself as they discuss the film, and why it is important for young people to get involved in the community.

Regardless of who wins the Republican nomination for President in 2024, Trump, DeSantis, or someone else who may emerge, it is clear what the LGBTQ+ community has in store from the rhetoric of culture war and hate.  This week was the first State of the Union where the GOP now has a slim margin in the House.  Arkansas Governor, and former Trump White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee minced no words over what’s ahead.  After all, she is the first woman to lead that state.  She comes from one of the nations most notorious evangelical families and noted Baptist preacher, father and Presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.  So this week she paraded out his greatest hits and a few new ones of her own.  The most important battle cry is to frame you are either with the GOP or you are crazy.  Representative democracy and compromise is no longer needed or required.  Much less wanted.  The battle ground lines were drawn in contrast to President Biden.  This week Utah's Governor Spencer Cox discussed what he thinks is going on in this radical culture war in America.   So Governor Huckabee claims of Normal vs Crazy is now the new normal from the leadership of the GOP.  In 2010, the same state that elected Bill Clinton Governor made Mike Huckabee the longest serving Governor in the state's history.  In 2010 his Presidential aspirations were largely considered radical in the GOP.  In 2023 they are red meat.  We remind you of the Huckabee clan when he said about HIV “we should isolate the carriers”. On Gay marriage he suggested judges who rule in favor of it should be impeached.  Local ordinances protecting LGBTQ should not exist. Huckabee supports Gay Conversion Therapy. About the LGBTQ+ community he said “We can get into the ick factor, but the fact is two men in a relationship, two women in a relationship, biologically, that doesn’t work the same.” The Huckabees oppose LGBTQ+ adoption because “children aren’t puppies.” And the Huckabees want to bring us back to the good ole days when he said “In our lifetimes, we’ve seen our country go.. From Barney Fife to Barney Frank.” So that was the State Of The Union minority voice this week.  In February 2023.  The contrast seems to be clear.  It truly is a battle line between “Normal and Crazy.”

The Welsh government has unveiled a new LGBTQ+ action plan, which includes proposals to make it easier for trans people to change their legal gender. This comes just weeks after Westminster announced that it would attempt to block similar legislation put forward by the Scottish government, on the basis that it risks conflicting with the UK’s existing equalities law. To legally change their gender, people across the UK currently have to apply to a gender recognition panel and usually have to obtain a medical diagnosis of gender dysphoria first. The Welsh government is proposing to swap this process out in favor of a system based on self-identification, which is similar to the law recently passed in Scotland and increasingly in line with international norms.

In a recent video released on his social media platform, former President Trump vowed to punish doctors who provide gender-affirming health care to minors if he is reelected next year, wading into a contentious debate that has captured the attention of state and federal lawmakers on both sides of the aisle.

In the nearly four-minute-long, straight-to-camera video, Trump outlined his plan to “protect children from left-wing gender insanity,” unveiling a slate of extreme policy proposals targeting transgender identities, including a federal law that recognizes only two genders and bars transgender women from competing on women’s sports teams.

Trump also said that he plans to pass a law barring minors from receiving gender-affirming health care in all 50 states and intends to direct the Justice Department to investigate the pharmaceutical industry and individual hospitals to determine whether they “deliberately covered up horrific long-term side effects of sex transitions in order to get rich.” As per the video, doctors treating transgender youth will be booted from Medicaid and Medicare under his leadership. The video also mentioned that his proposed policy changes would extend to education and school officials.

Queer News Tonight

I am continuing my exclusive investigation into Pride Fort Lauderdale and next weekend’s Pride of the Americas. Hours after my story on Pride’s lack of transparency, two major sponsors dropped out. Midland Medical withdrew all their financial support and asked for their 100 thousand dollars back. Also that night, Tito’s Vodka dropped out, costing Pride about 50 thousand dollars in cash and product. Also that night, one board member sent an email calling for a full stop until the board could decide on going forward with the event. They are continuing and the event is still on. Pride President Mike Martorell finally reached out to me and had a 45 minute conversation. Details are online, but the issue of transparency is the headline. He told me minutes of meetings, which their own by-laws require be made public, were lost in updates to their website. Yesterday he clarified and said he didn’t know that was required and said they haven’t been a priority. We know they exist somewhere, because I’ve seen some of them. And since the board secretary resigned last month, Martorell said it’s an ad-hoc job to even take minutes of meetings. All these stories are online now and will be on stands tomorrow. Coming online soon: my exclusive interview with Pride’s Vice President, Steven Crawford. His insight into the organization is stunning and his candor is admirable. That conversation was about forty minutes and will make for excellent reading.

As expected, Beyoncé has announced a 2023 world tour on Instagram, supporting her multiple-Grammy-nominated 2022 album, “Renaissance.” She also released the dates and cities on her official website. We are excited to tell you that she will be in Miami Florida at our favorite Hard Rock Stadium on August 18. The announcement's timing, which comes just days before the Grammy Awards on Sunday, sparks speculation that the singer may perform or at least appear on the show. Beyoncé is the most nominated artist for nine awards, all related to “Renaissance.” Sources tell Variety that her husband Jay-Z will perform with DJ Khaled on the show, most likely their nominated song “God Did.” Beyoncé has said that “Renaissance” is a three-part project, so it’s possible that the next parts of the project could be another album, a long-form video project, or even the tour itself. Beyoncé performed her first full concert in four years on January 21 at the new Atlantis Royal Resort in Dubai.

Singer Sam Smith’s latest music video is causing quite the stir, as the star unveils their raciest look yet – and sparks fierce debate on social media. Sam, who is non-binary and uses they/them pronouns, dons a corset and nipple pasties for the OTT music video to their latest single, the Calvin Harris-produced I’m Not Here To Make Friends. It’s the latest single from Sam’s fourth studio album Gloria, also home to the worldwide number one smash Kim Petras duet Unholy. But Sam’s look in the new clip has seen the star gets attacked and trolled online – as others rushed to defend them, suggesting homophobia and fatphobia are to blame for those apparently so horrified by Sam’s revealing look. Cue the outrage from some quarters for I’m Not Here To Make Friends. One critic described the video as “monstrous” and “degrading,” while another accused Sam of “wearing their sexuality like a costume and shoving it in everyone’s face”.

Trae Crowder, a known American comedian, and co-author of The Liberal Redneck Manifesto: Draggin' Dixie Outta the Dark was on Queer News Tonight. Trae Crowder, until recently, was a little-known stand-up comic with an idea for a Web series. He would call it, "The Liberal Redneck," and he'd do liberal rants in his strong Tennessee accent while wearing a camouflage hunting cap and a cutoff T-shirt. But that was before he became a known and celebrated comedian in the country. He was at our favorite Sunshine Cathedral on Saturday, January 28 at 7 pm for his performance. He loved it and he has a lot to say about it. Watch Trae Crowder talking about ignorance, homophobia, and what's wrong with the south in the next segment.