Is anyone here still active in SL? heathernorton is my account name. Feel free to look me up if you are

United Methodists end anti-LGBTQ policies

https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/united-methodists-end-anti-lgbtq-policies/ar-AA1o3TRT?ocid=windirect&cvid=4cabf0472d4e40d69912e316bc01ecc7&ei=58

Story by Michelle Boorstein (2 May 2024)

The United Methodist Church, one of the largest organized Christian groups in America, ended a slew of anti-LGBT policies this week, including a ban on gay clergy and on penalties for clergy who conduct same-sex marriages.

The moves came as votes of the UMC's General Conference, the denomination's legislative body, which normally meets every four years.

While multiple other mainline Protestant groups, including Episcopalians and the United Church of Christ, years ago ended anti-LGBTQ+ policies, the United Methodists — who historically have been more politically and regionally diverse — remained deeply divided. Tensions stayed high in recent years as advocates for liberal reforms kept pressing for change and conservatives continued to resist.

Because of the tension, nearly a quarter of the UMC's 30,000 congregations in the United States have left since 2019, primarily conservatives. That's when denominational leaders opened a window for congregations to leave with their property, according to the UMC news service. The deadline to leave was at the end of December.

On Tuesday, delegates voted overwhelmingly to delete mandatory penalties for conducting same-sex marriages and to remove the denomination's bans on considering LGBTQ candidates for ministry and on funding for gay-friendly ministries. It also ended a ban on consecrating gay people as bishops.

As I noted in my other post, I've noticed that the color of my skin has become paler on estrogen.  So I really need makeup on top of my sunscreen, otherwise people think I have the flu (some have asked why I have flour or chalk on my face, or that I look like "death warmed over").  And since the pandemic I have found that since Covid, many people are fearful of people who even have a hint of a flu or some sickness, even if you are not sick!

I had my first appointment with my new Voice Coach. I am in Rapid City, SD and she is in Iowa City, IA so the appointment was done through a telemedicine video link. It was mostly giving her background information on prior training, and medical stuff like injuries or trauma to the neck or head. I do have a cervical fusion of neck vertebrae but I doubt that affects my voice. She wasn't concerned. We had a great time chatting and both of us griping about the impossibly slow pace of government.

We set up the next two appointments. We will meet each week. My "homework" is to download an app. Done. Our next question will be filling out a bunch of questionnaires. She says it is boring, but the government loves its paperwork, and we must get through it.

After the appointment, my Bestie called and asked if I could take her shopping. She had some great news she wanted to share. Her son has moved back here from Sioux Falls and I haven't seen him in a couple of years. He would be coming along. No problem.

I picked them up and the son said he finally won his disability claim from Social Security, AND he received all of his back pay. Over $70,000. Wowza. He bought a car and needed a ride to the bank to get cash and then to the car dealer to finalize the purchase. He got a good deal on a 2004 Jeep Grand Cherokee. It's in great shape.

I was kidding with him and said, "So what is the great news you wanted to share?"

He handed me $20 and said, "You don't need to drive us to Walmart!"

They went shopping and I went home. I'm a little richer and they now have the freedom to go places without relying on me or her sister. Win-Win.

I tried to spam them but it wouldn't let me submit, probably because I'm overseas.   

I don't wear watches anymore, but I would wear that!

Quote from: Gina P on Today at 05:35:52 AMI remember when first coming out many would say "congratulations" which was nice but really its tough to sum it up in only a word or 2 how as how to respond. Someone this close, I would think a phone call would have been more personal but its an uncomfortable subject for many to speak about.
So glad all is going well Allie
Hugs Gina

A phone call, Gina? For this generation? You gotta do a whole lot better than a late-in-life surprise gender announcement to merit using their phones as a, you know, "actual phone" 😂

For example, when our son was in college, one evening we saw one of our cell phones ring and it was from him - we laughed "this has to be something serious!" And it was - he was calling to tell us that his kneecap was on the side of his knee. He was a javelin thrower on the track team, and at practice he'd just dislocated his knee, and he was calling us from the back of the trainer's flatbed truck as they were carting him off to the training room.

Even so, we speculated it was not a text because the ride was a bit too bumpy to type, and he begrudgingly made the call.

So yeah... texts are their phone calls. I've made peace with that long ago.

But also, thank you, things are going swimmingly. As well as I could have hoped. The best part is that I'm now making some headway through the manual.

Still probably on page 36 out of 1,000.. but it's nice to be turning some pages again.

Plus it was a discovery that it was after I was diagnosed with aspergers syndrome at age 7.Therapist said LGBT issues might come up in my life.It was tough for her on this and she pulled through on it

Utah Launches "Snitch Line" To Report Trans People In Bathrooms; Memes Flood In

https://www.erininthemorning.com/p/utah-launches-snitch-line-to-report

Erin Reed (2 May 2024)

On Wednesday evening, the Utah Public Auditor released a form to report transgender individuals encountered in changing rooms and restrooms to state authorities. The form, titled "Alleged Government Violations of Utah Code 63G Chapter 31: Distinctions Based on Sex," is in response to a law enacted earlier this year. This law bans transgender people from using restrooms that match their gender identity in schools, as well as locker rooms and similar facilities in public buildings across the state.

The snitch form requests details on encounters with transgender individuals in "privacy spaces." It asks citizens to report the government entity responsible for the "failure" to prevent the encounter or to report the encounter to law enforcement. The form enables people to upload pictures and provide evidence of "incidents."

Reactions to the form's release were immediate and predictable: multiple users started flooding in fake reports. One person submitted a report of "beavers" in their bathroom at 3 AM. Another posted a picture of a character from The Bee Movie, an allusion to other snitch forms against transgender people that were flooded with scripts for that movie. One person reported Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders as a trans person. Another reported an allegation of Representative Matthew Gaetz harassing girls outside of a locker room.

Aunts   ants