One of the most popular children’s entertainers in America is facing fierce backlash following a video she posted in support of LGBTQ+ Pride.
It’s a name nearly any parent with a small child has likely heard: Ms. Rachel. The star YouTuber is one of the biggest names in children’s entertainment, boasting a whopping 10 million YouTube subscribers on her channel, where she sings original educational compositions and classic nursery rhymes for children.
With more than six billion views since her channel’s creation in 2019, Ms. Rachel has become a beloved voice in households around the world. Off camera, she's also known for her strong Christian beliefs.
That's why some parents were surprised when she released a positive message about Pride recently.
A video posted on Ms. Rachel’s TikTok account – where she expresses support for the LGBTQ+ community during Pride month – now has disapproving parents threatening to stage a boycott.
Wishing a Happy Pride
“Happy Pride to all our wonderful families and friends,” begins the video. “This month and every month I celebrate you, I’m so glad you’re here,” she continues.
In a matter of days, the video amassed several million views.
Likely anticipating backlash, Ms. Rachel says in the video, "to those who are going to comment, they can’t watch this show anymore because of this support, no worries and much love your way. God bless. I am not chasing fame or views, I’m standing strong in love," she concluded.
A Fierce Backlash
Indeed, not everyone was pleased with a children’s entertainer offering support for the LGBTQ+ community. Critics were upset with Ms. Rachel, saying she shouldn’t be commenting on such a divisive subject when her target audience is toddlers and babies.
Almost immediately, conservative and Christian influencers began calling on viewers to boycott her videos.
One Christian personality responded with a pointed Biblical critique:
With the backlash growing, Ms. Rachel decided to address the criticism head on.
Ms. Rachel Responds
In a follow-up video, she cites her Christian faith as one of the reasons why she offered support for the LGBTQ+ community in the first place.
“In Matthew 22, a religious teacher asked Jesus what’s the most important commandment,” she explains in the video. “Jesus says ‘to love God’ and ‘to love your neighbor as yourself’... I believe it’s mentioned eight times to love your neighbor. So yes, everyone belongs. Everyone’s welcome. Everyone is treated with empathy and respect. It doesn’t say, ‘Love every neighbor except.’”
Again, commenters were split on Ms Rachel’s pro-Pride declaration.
As one user stated, “it’s refreshing to see a Christian whose actions align with their beliefs.” But others argued that children’s entertainers should stick to ABCs and 1-2-3s and avoid controversial issues entirely.
Interestingly, children’s entertainment has a long history of addressing social issues. Perhaps the most notable example is Fred Rogers washing a black man’s feet on a 1969 episode of "Mister Rogers’ Neighborhood” – a remarkable social statement at a time when public pools were still segregated in many parts of the country.
Proponents might say there are parallels between that and what Ms. Rachel is doing now.
What do you make of the controversy?
79 comments
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Pastor Bobby Roy
Finding common ground between LGBTQ+ individuals and Christians involves empathy, respectful dialogue, and recognizing shared humanity. Here are some steps:
Start with Questions: Engage in conversation by asking questions. Understand their perspective and beliefs. Recognize Shared Identity: Both Christians and LGBTQ+ individuals are bearers of God’s image, yet fallen and broken. Acknowledge our common ground as sinners in need of redemption. Avoid Stereotypes: Don’t assume everyone within a group thinks the same way. Recognize that LGBTQ+ issues aren’t the most repulsive sins; all sin is equally in need of grace. Meet Them Where They Are: Understand their experiences and misconceptions about Christians. Present the good news of Christ in a relatable way, emphasizing our need for rescue and a new identity. Remember, respectful dialogue and compassion pave the way for understanding and connection.
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John Ash McCormick
Seeing the various colors and degrees of hairiness of those CTW characters I would be surprised if the people boycotting her books have actually been among her readers.
I myself am a writer and think I should share something I ran across.
One of my books was about the science of canines and about the dogs I have lived with, alternating chapters of hard science and personal experiences.
I got a negative review from someone who first warned me that if I didn't remove the word "bitch" from my book which included chapters about my Bouvier des Flandres breeding kennel he would give me a bad review based only on my refusal to let him censor my work.
Since that word is still the correct scientific terminology for a female canine and I was writing about the science of canines I felt perfectly justified in using the word so I wouldn't look like a scientific illiterate in a science book.
He had to pay to read my book so I felt if he was offended by my daring to inflict science on readers of a scientific book, his personal offense was rather self-inflicted no one forced him to read my book.
(I will probably get complaints here for not using b33ch but I also use the word God in some of my writing. Being a journalist I fight censorship where ever I encounter it.)
In that dog book I quoted peer-reviewed scientific studies, discussed chemical hormone reactions such as the production of oxytocin in bonding, and other obviously scientific references.
I declined to censor my book to meet his bigoted nonsense and he gave me a negative review but failed to say the reason in his review, leaving potential readers to think the book was poorly written or researched.
I wonder how he would react to someone demanding that books about religion ban words which atheists would find offensive?
I occasionally find people who are shocked when I mention the amount of censorship here in the "free" U.S. They don't believe me. I suspect that Ms. Rachel believes that writers can regularly be censored or feel the need to self-censor.
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Kathryn Darcy Smith
This woke crap HAS TO STOP!
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Stacey Owens
Don't you realize what your saying is woke crap? You have done things in the past that you keep in the closet too but you didn't fly a banner about it. Don't be distracted, it is your choice to live peacefully. Its your personal life.
Gay people forgot how they kept it in the closet for so long and except the world to fully except them. Its a hard thing on both sides to articulate. Being gay has nothing to do with being born that way. Its a nature of lust if you believe in conception. They didn't realize it when they born. They thought it was noral. The thing is, they want the world to feel the same way they feel, its normal. They just don't understand why they are being rejected, they feel discrimanation. But its not. Being gay has nothing to do with race. Its a nature they have accepted. Its like lying, cheating, hating, and bullying. You don't see those kind of people creating a flag on what they identy with within themselves.
You knew or know people who act like this, you avoid them so that you don't become like them, It's apart of the nature of unbelief, it is lawlessness. The 10 commandments was ordained to show you the law with in you that your breaking inside you. And if your breaking the laws within you then your never going to have a relationship with God, only with people within the same lawless nature. It's called a corrupt nature.
Like a computor with a virus and you try to put infomation in it and it keeps crashing. What do you do? You take it to get it fixed. But with human nature tho its corrupt and you try to fix them, they protest until you accept ithem.. It does fix them. They'll say your woke or your dscrimanating against them. Like a computor, they crash on you causing you to crash on them. It creates hostility within you.
This is why God said those who do these things won't inherit the kingdom heaven. God can't dwell within a corrupt body. You must surrender to Him. Then the 10 commandments can be fulfilled in you. Cause Jesus Christ is the fulfillment. Now he is your life to accomplish the will of God; (10 commandment).
Don't be move by the flag, live your life through Christ Jesus. In spirit and in truth. Its the only way to please God.
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Kathy Kristine Norris
Neighbors who do not love themselves cannot love others. We are ALL made in the image of G-d and to allow hatred to fill our heart is not of G-d, but yet many do it as if they were speaking for G-d directly. Our humanness allows us to hate, or condemn, but the Godliness inside us allows us the free will to choose hate over love. I will stand with Miss Rachael and many others like her to choose love, every single time.
After reading a good deal of the comments on this sight, I see that hate runs rampant here too. For the others that are accepting and show love, thank you. You are the ones that love your neighbor~
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Lionheart
It’s totally okay for you to type the word “God”. Nothing is going to happen to you.
As for being made in the image of a God, I very much doubt it. If he really existed I’m sure his genitals are different to yours. 🤭
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Stacey Owens
God is the spoken Word, He bare witness to Himself. No one can bare witness of Him. The person who speaks gods word must allow God to prove it was Him in them Himself. This is called the witness or the Spirit of truth by faith. God always honors the person with Himself. Its called God's will. This proves God sent them. The true believer is just declaring Him in spirit and in truth. The believer is operating in Christ for he is full of grace and truth. Jesus Christ is the Lord, he is the believers life, not the believer.
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Stacey Owens
Comment removed by user.
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Daniel Ginther
Anyone who quotes one Bible verse in defense of the pride movement does not know or read the Bible and makes a mockery of God. Homosexuality is not part of Gods plan, Homosexuality and God are like oil and water
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Russel A. Kester
Daniel, I responded to your poor theology above. To summarize it, God creates each one of us and knows if we are gay or straight and loves us all just as we are.
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Stacey Owens
The the beginning was the Word; now I said it. God mention homsexuality as sin of the flesh. It is also written that He condemned sin to the flesh. There are to type of sins. Sin against God and sin against man. The sin against God is fear, unbelief, disobedence, and blasphmay. Sin against man is hate, selfishness, envy, murder, thief, selfrighteousness, and coveteouness etc. The problem with people, is the bible, its misinterpreted. Its a mystery, know one can understand it with the natural mind. But yet everyone has their version of interpretation. It always ends in doom. If your a believer it doesn't end that way and I don't speak doom. I speak it in the name of God, the Word, and in Jesus Christ who he had sent in love. When the Word is spoken, its spoken in victory. over coming the world. The victory is overcoming sin and unbelief in Christ Jesus by the Holy Spirit. This is the mystery not the letter.
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Mark Vinson
It's really funny that all this talk is dogging Christians and anyone with Conservative beliefs. I'd like to remind everyone that NATURE, regardless of your religion or lack there of, says reproduction is the way to go. Male and female, boy and girl, the only way life continues, period. That is science, not hatred. I don't give a flip who you bump nasties with, but don't teach children that it's natural or right, when science says otherwise. Anyone stating that it's not indoctrinating children, is wrong, period. Teaching children to not hate people who are different, does not have to include indoctrination and lies couched as anti hate speech.
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Richard Harrison
Ms. Rachel is 100% correct. These Christian haters are not Christian, they are terrorists and should be treated as such. Great job Ms. Rachel for standing up for Love! Dr. Richard Harrison
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Stacey Owens
I'm not making a issue to comment on, I just don't see the focus on what the announcement has to do with anything. What profit is in it to let everyone know what your about. I can understand tell people that your sick, maybe have a job, your a father/mother, or have a handy cap etc. There should be a day to remember the poor, kidnapped children, or a day to let everyone know about sex. Sounds ridiculous doesn't it.
Why in the world is it a big issue? We have to let the world know how we're feeling. I guess the world needs attention. My be, we need, Crack head day or a celebration of pot day.
Pride day is all about come out and exposing one self. A Trans person doesn't need to reveal to the world what they are with the naked eye.
Back in the 60s and 70s you could tell a Trans person It wasn't a big deal. I still did business with them, I still talked to them, and kids knew they acted different. We knew it wasn't right but that's the way they lived there lives. It was their choice. Now they want to reveal that its ok to be transgender when it was already ok with in them.
I just don't get the announcement. To me, it doesn't make any sense. It's as if I wanted to tell everyone that it's OK to jack**f (sorry for the English) nothing wrong with it.
It just stupid to me, really.
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Terry L Miles
I dont understand why you want to promote sin. The Bible calls Homosexuality a sin. Two cities were destroyed because of this sin. It is nothing to celebrate, or promote! It is the job of a Christian to point out sin, and to point them to the only one that can remove that sin. It is NOT the job of a Christian to accept, or ignore sin. This is not a judgemental attitude, but a loving attitude that wants you to be free of the chains that restrain you. I also will not become a pastor of a church that believes we should ignore sin.
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John Ash McCormick
Sin? Actually NOT. That is one interpretation. apparently yours, but not yours alone. Although, it could just be a coincidence in the very words. However, scholars at Notre Dame and others say the bible referred to loving sex too much, not homosexuality. Others say Ekezial 16:49 indicated that the cities were destroyed by God for not helping the poor and needy Some think the sin was rape. Others just settle on wickedness. That makes sense since I think Lot offered up his virgin daughters to a mob for gang rape.
There doesn't appear to be any word for sodomy in Greek or Hebrew of that time making sodomy a difficult word to assign to anything
Leviticus, of course seems to mandate death for homosexuality but also for virtually everything including adultery.
As for ignoring sin, if someone doesn't ever sin at all in any "christian" sense, why do they need a minister?
I'm very glad to see Rev. Terry say he is not judgemental.
Some people might think that is sort of like the person who says "no offense meant" when it would have been so easy just to avoid saying something offensive.
I know what sodomy is, but what is gommoraing?
I could be wrong. I often am.
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RAYMOND BENITEZ
Good day to All. Question: How many people are reading our comments? Are we making a difference with our comments? Are we as an organization going to stand up for what is right or not? Are we connected to organizations that are in the movement according to the Bible? Are the people who are making comments are part of a larger organization? We are all children of the same universe but are not the same children from the same universe. The Bible emphasizes the idea that every individual is uniquely created by God and has their own gifts, talents, and purpose. It encourages believers to embrace their differences and use them for the glory of God. The Bible also teaches that being different is not something to be ashamed of, but rather a reflection of God’s diverse creation.
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Daniel Ginther
Every individual was not created by God, that's a lie. God created Adam and Eve, that's it. Homosexuality does not Glorify God in any way shape or form !
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Russel A. Kester
Daniel, you must not believe the Bible then because it says, "Before I formed you in the womb, I knew you" which appears in the Bible in Jeremiah 1:5. The verse continues, "before you were born I set you apart; I appointed you as a prophet to the nations". According to the Bible God does create and knows each and everyone of us. And, yes, God knows if he's creating a straight or gay child. God loves both.
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Steven Ferrell
Anyone condoning sin would not be watched in my home.
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ServantOfJudgement
What is it to love God?
Is it a demonstration of love when a child is disobedient to his parents? Do the parents of the child rejoice in his disobedience? No. Loving God is obedience to God in all things or repentance for where you've failed.
Loving God is the primary component of loving our neighbors as we love ourselves. We don't dare put our shoes on before we put our socks on. No, one must come before the other. Loving God first aligns our compass to his direction and gives us the power to love ourselves in a way that's pleasing to God. Only then can we love our neighbors in a way that's pleasing to God and fulfill God's commandment.
Some christians use the symbol of one of God's covenants to man, made in righteousness, as a symbol that represents pride. Pride, being the original sin committed by Satan is equated to vomit by God. Pride is disgusting and putrid to God. Pride is disobedience to God which is diametrically opposed to loving God.
Pride instantly and automatically nullifies the cherry picked commandment Love God and love your neighbor as yourself. Particularly when those in pride have corrupted the symbol of a righteous covenant. In no way possible can the bible support this corruption.
When Christians engage, participate or encourage pride, they're putting themselves at risk with our lord. Ms Rachel is especially at risk by teaching God approves of pride. I'm not trying to anger anyone, I'm just turning over the cherry picker's baskets.
If non Christan do this, who cares? They're not held to God's standard until they meet him. Live it up as much as you can while you can with whomever you can. Embrace the capitalist's attitude for the lost. Buy now and pay later.
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Daniel Gray
She can say whatever she wants, but the fact remains she should not be saying this to children Period. When they get old enough to understand, then if they are curious then explain it to them. Until then say nothing.
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Lionheart
I totally agree with you, Daniel. Children should be taught how to think, not what to think, using logic, reason, and critical thought. Let them make their own decisions in adulthood.
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Martin L Stigleman
Apparently, no one was paying attention. She posted the video to her TIKTOK, not YouTube. The TOS for tiktok sets the age of 18 to view (although they may have recently changed it to 17). HER MESSAGE WAS NOT AIMED AT CHILDREN!! He message was a show of love and support by a real Christian to a group of people who are consistently targeted, ridiculed, and attacked by hateful, false Christians. Oh, and for those saying things like "I love them, I just hate that they are throwing it in my face.", how about say what you really mean? "They need to crawl back in the closet so I don't have to see it!". Seriously...at least the people who are openly opposed to LGBTQ+ are honest about their hate.
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Rev. Mike Eggleston
Do you apply the same argument against indoctrinating children with Christianity?
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Chris
Exactly. They shouldn't be asking why they have two dads or two moms when the other kids don't. They're too young to understand. But by all means, ask the 2 yr old if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend because that's totally different.
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Theresa C. Marquess
Yes, Jesus taught the people to love one another, however, we can easily do that without having their sexual preference thrown in our faces.
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Lionheart
How does anyone know what Jesus ever taught, assuming he was real?
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Theresa C. Marquess
Believe what you choose and I will believe what I choose.
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Chris
Heterosexuality is thrown in our faces all the time. Television commercials, magazines, shows, movies. Almost all media reflects heteronormative relationships. How do I explain to my child or grandchild when a man and a woman are sucking tongues in public?
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CJC
You could say it is the norm, but there are differences in all people. It is the representation of the majority... To say "Heterosexuality is thrown in our faces all the time" shows that it is a YOU problem.
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Revd. Dr. R. Vincent BEM, LDPS
Love is love. There is no right or wrong, just love.
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Donald J Rothschild Jr
And that exact response from so called Christians is one of many reasons I left Christianity behind. People have to grow up and learn to live together. Most of the problems we face today are DIRECTLY tied to Christianity misunderstanding what Jesus was all about. They pick and choose what he tried to teach. If it doesn’t fit their narrative today they just ignore it.
BTW: she posted on her TikTok account and not her YouTube channel.
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Rev. Dr. Father JJ
kristofascists strike again, and again....smfh
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Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
I don’t understand why the haters are so intimately concerned with what’s in a persons pants.
In particular, they always mention their concern with the genitalia of children. That strikes me as beyond actual “concern” and treading into the cesspool of kiddie porn and pedophilia.
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Russel A. Kester
Elizabeth, your comment is intended to make anyone who questions gender as somehow having a prurient interest in the child's genitals. You also slant your statement by using the term 'haters.' Children depend on adults to guide them wisely to maturity. Knowing and understanding the child's gender which is associated with the child's sex is necessary to facilitate that task. So these people are not hateful pedophiles as your statement would label them. They are caring adults looking out for the best interests of the child. I didn't see anywhere in the article that writes about or references children's genitals. Why did you even refer to that subject?
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Chris
The people who ask 2 yr olds if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend are offended by the same child having 2 dads or 2 moms. Gender is not necessarily associated with Sex. Gender is a societal construct, as is the concept of what certain people should wear or what certain people should do or who certain people should love. If you want to be a caring parent, let the child explore who they are. And yes, there are boundaries for that. But if a boy finds other boys more interesting than girls, so what?
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Russel A. Kester
Chris, you might be shocked to hear that I disagree with you. Gender is not a social construct. Male gender in boys and female gender in girls are observed characteristics not constructs and have been since we've been a species and is why there are two different terms; so, sex and gender are associated and based on biology.
You seem to have created a straw man argument when you speak of 2 year olds.
Being gay or lesbian is not about one's gender. It's about ones sexuality. And, yes, when a kid realizes that he or she is more attracted to the same sex than the opposite sex then good parents will acknowledge that. Asking questions about who they're attracted to can be a part of the discernment process.
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Amy Varela
Here's a piece about biology and gender from someone with more knowledge than you have, evidently. You're welcome! Enjoy!
"I just commented this on a transphobic post that was all like, "In a sexual species, females have two X chromosomes and males have an X and a Y, I'm not a bigot it's just science." I'm a science teacher so I responded with this: First of all, in a sexual species, you can have females be XX and males be X (insects), you can have females be ZW and males be ZZ (birds), you can have females be females because they developed in a warm environment and males be males because they developed in a cool environment (reptiles), you can have females be females because they lost a penis sword fighting contest (some flatworms), you can have males be males because they were born female, but changed sexes because the only male in their group died (parrotfish and clownfish), you can have males look and act like females because they are trying to get close enough to actual females to mate with them (cuttlefish, bluegills, others), or you can be one of thousands of sexes (slime mold, some mushrooms.) Oh, did you mean humans? Oh ok then. You can be male because you were born female, but you have 5-alphareductase deficiency and so you grew a penis at age 12. You can be female because you have an X and a Y chromosome but you are insensitive to androgens, and so you have a female body. You can be female because you have an X and a Y chromosome but your Y is missing the SRY gene, and so you have a female body. You can be male because you have two X chromosomes, but one of your X's HAS an SRY gene, and so you have a male body. You can be male because you have two X chromosomes- but also a Y. You can be female because you have only one X chromosome at all. And you can be male because you have two X chromosomes, but your heart and brain are male. And vice - effing - versa. Don't use science to justify your bigotry. The world is way too weird for that [stuff]." —Margaret Mosberger-kijonka
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Russel A. Kester
No, Amy, no reputable biologist has ever said that a biological male can become a biological female. Not one. "Humans cannot change sex, which was determined at fertilization (genotype) and during embryonic development (phenotype)." Source, https://can-sg.org/frequently-asked-questions/can-humans-change-sex/
So all of the above talk about fish and worms and alligators is nonsense. Humans have two and only two sexes. If there is a Y chromosome present then the person is a male. Whether or not a person has a defect doesn't change his or her genetics. So your source has misled you with a lot of words and terms without any substance.
However, the argument is about gender not sex. Gender is inherent with the sex. Gender is not a performative act as advocated by writers such as Butler, Foucault, or Money. Men's and women's brains have different sizes and process information in different parts of their brains. Their bodies developed differently. Men tend to have narrower hips and women wide. Women have cervixes and uteruses, men do not. Men and women literally understand the word differently and act accordingly. And the list goes on. All of these characters as well as psychological development and natural hormones work together to create one's gender as an expression one's biological sex. Thus gender is not a social construct. It is biology determined. It is inherent and doesn't change. You have simply been misled. While I might not know everything, I've read and learned from those who are actual biologists not from whacky left-wing woke activists.
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Rev Ned
A lot of haters hate because they’re insecure in their own sexuality and are scared of the insecurity.
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Matthew Mastrogiovanni
Good for her teaching love and acceptance, in this nation that guarantees life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness for all.
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Tareq Asfour
Can’t we just all get along ?
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Kathryn Ann Martinson
If people are just treated as people, there would be little problem. When minorities insist on special treatment and when many of us feel that we are being told what we must say and think that is when problems arise. Many years ago in UK our local pub had a couple of guys who entertained in drag. They were gay and lived together. We loved 'em to bits. They were both great company. They were just Reg and Nicky. No parades, nothing pushed in people's faces, no special treatment. They were just a couple of really nice guys and brilliant entertainment. Just leave it at that.
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Chris
If only it were that easy, that simple.
First off, you're not being told what to think or say. You're being asked to address people they way they want to be addressed. Not a difficult concept but so many seem to find it impossible to comprehend.
Then there's the "pushed in people's faces" bit. You mean like heterosexuality is pushed in everyone's faces? Kids as young as 2 are asked if they have a boyfriend or girlfriend yet so many are outraged if they mention they have two fathers or two mothers.
And "special treatment?" Like what, exactly? Being allowed to marry the person they love? Given the same rights and freedoms as hetero couples? Not being fired because the boss doesn't like who you live with?
If a man wants to dress in what society tells us is "women's clothing" what harm is he doing? If two men kiss in public, who are they hurting?
Equal rights is all we ask.
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Russel A. Kester
Kathryn has pointed out that in the various communities there are individuals who do act so that they get lots of attention and then flaunt their sexuality or nonconformity to traditional societal expectations. Some straight women do the same thing when they are quite busty and then wear a halter top that is two sizes too small. Non of those actions are in good taste. Gays and lesbians have equality. It's wonderful that we don't have to live in gay ghettos to feel safe. We can finally just be another plain Jane or Joe citizen.
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Patricia Ann Gross
But if Reg and Nicky were black-listed and bullied would you still be saying the same thing? Pride isn't about "special" treatment, it is about equal treatment. When laws and corporate policies exclude people who are "different," which is what is happening in the US, things have gone too far. Pride arose out of the Stonewall Riot which was caused by a law making it illegal for gays to congregate in gay bars and watch drag shows.
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Russel A. Kester
Patricia, that's the thing. We aren't blacklisted. We aren't bullied any more than anyone else and have many more allies if we are. There are no laws in the US which exclude us. Yes, Gay Pride rose with fights at places like Stonewall and others. Fights happened in courtrooms and boardrooms. We won. We're equal. But some people just can't accept it. They seem to need a fight to survive which can only cause trouble and resentment. Stop the fighting and live.
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Patricia Ann Gross
And the fight continues as some states are trying to take the rights away, especially for transpeople. I was responding to the phrase "special treatment" in Kathryn's post. Equal treatment does not mean special treatment that Cis-gendered straight white men don't have.
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Amy Varela
"Special treatment"? Really? And by special you mean that these people, who have been the targets of hate and violence for decades, want to be treated the same way people... sorry, WHITE people... sorry, white MEN... sorry, STRAIGHT white men... sorry, straight, white, CHRISTIAN men have been treated for those same decades? Open your eyes and realize that equal rights for others does not mean fewer rights for you.
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Russel A. Kester
Amy, straight, white men have no more rights than anyone else. We all have equal civil rights. Now each of us must use those rights to full advantage.
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John Ash McCormick
I have studied many religions over most of a century and, unless I missed something big, in which case I would be pleased to be told, Christianity is the only one that the more you say you believe in it, the less you act like the founding entity, Christ, would.
Loving your neighbor is one of the most basic. I never found any place in the New Testament where Jesus said you should HATE YOUR NEIGHBOR.
But that is obviously the major crusade of ideas behind most of today's troubles.
It is worse than mere greed.
I have found "hatred of the other" in some, mostly primitive, religions but in those instances their followers do not contradict the most basic and fundamental beliefs and teaching the members of their belief system are supposed to believe and profess to follow.
In all of philosophy and politics, both of which I have also studied intensely I have never found any rule for living which was more likely to lead to a happy life than "Mind your own damn business!"
Those five words make the difference between fighting for nothing all of your life and simply paying attention to your own obligations to the universe.
Add to my studies 45 years as a reporter and 15 as a foreign correspondent.
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Russel A. Kester
John, perhaps you're not well acquainted with Islam. The more a Muslim says he or she believes in it, the more he or she acts like it's founder, Mohammed, and believes they have a right to kill apostates, gays, anyone of a different religion, daughters for dishonoring their families, have many wives as young some as 8 years old, and so much more. Christianity does not preach these values as its Christ did not. And every Christian I've ever known in my life hasn't preached these things that Islam does. Every religion has good and kind followers and some who use the religion to carry out hateful acts. We can be much more inclusive in our condemnations in this regard. Though I hasten to add that Buddhism seems to be far ahead of others faiths in being truly peaceful and showing Loving-kindness both historically and today.
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Chris
I've worked with Muslims and Christians and Jews. I've interacted with a variety of people in public areas. The only ones I've ever been threated by are the ones calling themselves Christian. Nobody else has ever condemned me to hell or called me names because I didn't believe the same as them. Nobody else has come to my door telling me I need to change my ways or burn forever. There have been "Christian" preachers on television calling for the murder of anyone they don't like.
Now, I don't say any other religion is perfect and peaceful and loving. I'm simply saying I haven't had any problem with any other religion. Just Christians.
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Russel A. Kester
Chris, I too have worked with those same groups and have had personal relationships with both Christians and a Muslim man. But you confuse an individual person with the religion and its practices. Islam is guilty of doing all of those things I mentionednand more not just in the past but today. Your personal experience is not reflective of the overall beliefs and goals of the leadership of Islam or its holy writings and beliefs. Just as a personal antidote, one of the Muslim men I worked with would tell the women at work that they were sinning against God because they were not at home where they belonged. The women took their issue to management which didn't want to deal with it so the women took it to the union which forced management to deal with it. He kept his job, but was forbidden to speak to any woman about anything except what was required to do his job. Jerks exist everywhere and come from all walks of life.
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Amy Varela
I have been working on a farm owned by a devout Muslim man who quotes the Qur'an regularly. I am a white, female Celtic pagan. If you were correct, I'd have been dead before the 2016 election. Maybe the Muslims who are doing all the killing are not following Muhammad correctly. Clearly the christians who are advocating for violence against LGBTQ+ folks are not following Jesus. Fun fact: They are follwing Paul.
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Russel A. Kester
Amy, again, look in the news about all of the Christians being killed by Muslims in Nigeria. "Since 2000, 62,000 Christians in Nigeria have been murdered in genocide perpetrated by Islamist jihadist groups including Boko Haram, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP), and Fulani militias. The International Committee for Nigeria refers to this genocide as the “Silent Slaughter.”Feb 29, 2024" source is https://www.genocidewatch.com/single-post/nigeria-s-silent-slaughter-62-000-christians-murdered-since-2000#:~:text=Since%202000%2C%2062%2C000%20Christians%20in,as%20the%20%E2%80%9CSilent%20Slaughter.%E2%80%9D
The Middle East had large Christian and Jewish populations in the past but not today because Muslims have killed them or they have sought asylum in other countries. Again, one must actually learn the instructions in Islam's holy books to begin to understand why this type of behavior is allowed and has been since its inception.
And no, you particular experience doesn't create a rule for understanding Islam, only actually studying it's historical inception and development does. Read up on the history of the Slaves Islam took from Africa to Iceland and not just your personal experience or even a couple of experiences. It's the ideology of the faith one must understand.
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John Ash McCormick
Rev. Russel,
You might be surprised how much I know about القرآن الكريم
Two of the local hospital specialists are Muslim.
I rather surprised my neurologist who I knew had studied at the U. of Baghdad when I greeted him as-salamu alaykum and carefully with my right hand although it was rather arthritic and my left hand wasn't.
You can learn quite a bit about other cultures spending 40 years in The National Press Club (Washington DC) and The Overseas Press Club of America. I am what is known as a foreign correspondent. Some knowledge of other cultures can keep you alive.
But just a cursory knowledge of history tells anyone how Christians treated Muslims for many centuries.
I always found it very sad to remember how Islam was once the center of science and mathematics until al-Ghazali decided there was no place for either in Islam.
Since Muslim mathematicians essentially invented modern math I couldn't understand how math was suddenly considered a foreign concept. (Ever tried to take a square root in Roman Numerals? it is almost as bad as New Math.)
"Christianity does not preach...."
Sorry to be the one to break this to you but The Bible actually DOES explicitly condone killing for lots of reasons.
Leviticus for one is all for killing practically anyone and there are multiple instances in the bible where killing, even mass killing of prisoners is not only condoned but commanded.
For a change, Leviticus Leviticus 21:9 recommends burning to death rather than stoning for a daughter who sinned.
"Another passage spoke of selling your daughter as a slave, I believe that would be Exodus 21, and then not freeing her as you would a son."
Deuteronomy 13: 6-10 - If anyone, even in your own family suggests worshipping another god, kill them. 13: 12-15 - If you find a city that worships a different god, destroy the city and kill all of its inhabitants.
Moses Exodus 2:11-12:
how about Numbers 31?
It goes something like this:
God to Moses, “Take vengeance on the Midianites for the Israelites” (Numbers 31:1). They killed the Midianites, but only the men - they captured the Midianite women and children, possibly having other uses in mind for them, and took their flocks - reasonable enough,
Unfortunately Moses was mad. Apparently they should have killed the women too so Moses sent them to finish the job right. Kill all the women (except the virgins) and “kill all the boys” (Numbers 31:17).
You see, I not only know the Koran but also The Bible.
It is now fashionable to skip over the parts of The Bible which are less than complimentary but it is difficult to find another explanation for all those and other passages which seem to directly command killing lots and lots of people for various reasons including some of the ones you blame on Islam.
BTW, I usually use the word Koran since so few non Muslims would understand the correct name.
Best, John
And, remember John 8.32. My partner walked by those words every day for years. it wasn't in a church but I still liked it.
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Robert Gagnon
It's her show she can say and do what ever she likes. Dressing up like the pride flag and daring a boycott may be more of a publicity stunt than a sincere statement. Especially the (if you don't like it don't watch me part). Notice how she changed outfits to a librarian outfit before she discussed prayer and faith. Glad she knows her bible verses. You reap what you sow. The world is not changing anytime soon, we'll see how strong her opinion is when it affects her bottom line.
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Russel A. Kester
She should have stayed with the ABC's not the T's and Q's whose activists started this Pandora's box. Where will it's whirlwinds take out country?
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Elizabeth Jane Erbe Wilcox
Russell, kindly become educated regarding Transgender and Queer human beings. Your fear and hatred of them is preventing you from having a clue.
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Robert Gagnon
He's simply stating the difference between a sexual preference and a radical faction of non conformists that have latched onto the LGB with damaging results. It's not fear and hatred to protect everything you've earned and worked for. WPATH on their own site call trans an incurable mental condition, and they started all this. How does this belong in the same category as LGB? T/Q should have their own group . People can choose to belong to either or. But hiding behind LGB and abortion is nothing more than a power move by radical activists.
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Robert James Ruhnke
Because there’s more to the community than just LGB and TQ, Kester leaves out a lot of the + part of the community. It wasn’t just lesbians and gays fighting for their rights, it was everyone who didn’t conform to the straight, white, male and Christian standards. He leaves our Pansexual, Aesexual, and so many others. There’s always been an air of exclusion with some gays and lesbians, hell for the longest time they didn’t include Bisexuals, and still to this day many gays make the claim that bisexuals are just secretly gay and is ironically just transitory. Maybe don’t echo a man who doesn’t know his butt from his elbow, Gags.
Kester, Trans and Queer people didn’t start anything that wasn’t already hurled at them by your straight conservative counterparts. Again, you’re gaslighting them. Stop blaming trans and queer people for the ignorant hatred of Christian fanatics out for blood, you throwing them under bus won’t spare you, coward.
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Chris
WPATH was started to treat gender dysphoria. From the beginning they held the point of view that transsexualism is a mental illness. That doesn't mean all psychologists hold the same belief. After all, LGBTQ people have been around as long as people have.
I'm curious, though. What is it you're referring to when you said, "It's not fear and hatred to protect everything you've earned and worked for." To the best of my knowledge, nobody is trying to take anything away from anyone except for the right to legally discriminate.
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Robert Gagnon
WPATH wrote the treatment manual for Trans identity, along with what everyone one else in the world should do to encourage the behavior they endorse. LGB have fought hard for all of their gains, which have now come into question because of the radical TQ+ poking the hornets nest. LGB suffers loses every day because of people unlike themselves (sexual preference vs gender confused origin haters) hiding behind the rainbow banner. They are two entirely different things. Yet it is the LGB that suffers losses, while TQ+ can only gain from conflict.
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John Condron
These ridiculous boycott campaigns rarely have sustained effects. Yes, Bud Light surely suffered, but that was the exception that proves the rule. Brands that have many close substitutes are easier to boycott because there are many similar alternatives that consumers can switch to. That was definitely true for Bud Light, it is not true for Ms Rachel.
Some consumers may be intrinsically driven to participate in a boycott, while others may participate in order to outwardly show their support for a set of issues. Buying Bud Light is a very public behavior; watching Ms Rachel is not.
Consumer behavior research has shown that individuals often use products to signal their type to others and “psychological ownership” can lead individuals to perceive their possessions as forming part of their identity or an extension of themselves. Bud Light has historically invested heavily in advertising campaigns, which may have built a strong sense of psychological ownership with their customers that led many to feel personally affronted by the brand supporting an issue they did not agree with. It is doubtful that any of Ms Rachel's audience was "personally affronted" by her support for Pride, but I can guarantee they will if their parents won't let them watch.
These boycotts often INCREASE visibilty for the "victims." My guess is that is what will happen with Ms Rachel.
https://hbr.org/2024/03/lessons-from-the-bud-light-boycott-one-year-later
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Jodi Frisina
The increased visibility is SO true, as I had no idea who Ms Rachel was before this came up! And to Daniel's reply that includes Sbux, Amazon, and others....there's also a large boycott going on that's due to their funding and support of the genocide in Gaza currently as well as anti-union activities. Hoping those actually do make an impact.
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Russel A. Kester
Jodi, there is no genocide in Gaza. There is a war started by a group of terrorists called HAMAS which uses the civilian population as human shields. Here's the truth:
"The Gaza death toll rose quickly and by the end of October women and people 17 and younger accounted for 64% of the 6,745 killed who were fully identified by the Health Ministry.2 days ago" and the source is https://www.latimes.com/world-nation/story/2024-06-10/women-and-children-of-gaza-are-killed-less-frequently-as-wars-toll-rises-ap-data-analysis-finds#:~:text=The%20Gaza%20death%20toll%20rose,identified%20by%20the%20Health%20Ministry.
That is not a genocide especially in a war zone. Your perspective is faulty. The majority of those killed have been HAMAS terrorists. We saw just the other day that an Al Jazeera journalist was holding three of the hostages. There is no genocide just uninformed, useful idiots.
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Daniel Gray
Sorry Brian but you are wrong. It worked when Disney was boycotted as by their own stockholders meeting they have lost over 1 Trillion dollars that they could have made if they didnt start sticking their nose where it didnt belong. Now look at target, that store has lost close to 60% of their stock price. And I could also name Ben and Jerry's and quite a few others who have all suffered for boycotts Starbucks lost 11 Billion and there is Amazon who has lost over 1 Billion in profits and climbing-Nestle-Coca Cola-Barclays Bank-Shell-Cadburys-Unilever and this is just the tip of the iceberg.
In fact Target is cutting Pride month items from their store and even WalMart is doing the same thing.
So your guess is incorrect as once the damage is done, it will be very difficult for them to make this back.
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Patricia Ann Gross
Not totally true. I bought Pride clothes and bandanas at Target this past weekend.
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Andrew James OCallaghan
Do you evidence for any of the figures you quote? And not simply changes in stock prices but authoritative evidence linking losses or decreases in profits to boycotts over Pride and LGBT issues.
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Bridget Kielas-Fecyk
Untrue. ALL the targets in our area that are still around have entire PRIDE sections. And ALL the WalMarts and other such stores in this region have entire PRIDE Sections. Maybe in YOUR area they're doing that because they're getting Death Threats from so-called "Good Christians", but most areas aren't.
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Rev. BH
Gays, lesbians, blacks, Hispanics, immigrants (the list goes on and on), strike no fear or hatred in my heart. Those who find so many reprehensible will be the death of us all. Our world is being ripped into tiny, unconnected shreds. "My house, not yours."
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Mountainsage
Ridiculous to hammer someone for being supportive and loving. People take their hatred too far.
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James Riggle-Johnson
There is no love like Christian hate.
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Rev. Mike Eggleston
There's no hatred like Christian "love".
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Daniel Gray
Comment has been removed.
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K. Doc Patterson
And you call yourself a Christian responding like this? We are to treat our family on earth with unconditional love and not judge them. This is religious abuse is a problem. There are fans of Christ, lie you. Then there are followers of Christ like me who allow God to handle judgement. I love everyone as a Kahuna Warrior unconditionally with respect as if Jesus was standing next to me.
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Rev. BH
There is no "too far". Only hatred.
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The I am is the image, not my identity my race isn't, or being male or female. We get lost in the titles of what we are, this causes the hate, pride, and selfishness.
God is like a math problem, if you don't know the answer. You try to add it up and you never get the right answer. just skip it. You never try to find the answer yourself you give up.
You just hide behind something else and claim that, like atheism. You conclude that's what you identify with. In other words you claim nothing.
You only can claim what you see and what you see is the evidence. It doesn't mean it's true but it's what your going to go with as the true.
It's like zero starting at the beginning of a math problems, like 0+1. It adds up, just because the answer is one doesn't mean zero is nothing. It's a start.
It the same equation with God, keep searching and you will find Him, because the answer is in you.