In Brief

Staff Reports

Right Wing Law Firm Calls Transgender Rights "Theatre Of The Absurd"

Mathew Staver

SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS -- The termination of a Macy's employee who refused to uphold company policy in regards to LGBTQ rights has so-called family value christian groups angered. Natalie Johnson was sacked from the Macy's River Centre store in San Antonio after she told a supervisor that she was unwilling to honour Macy's LGBT policies because she felt by doing so would violate her religious beliefs.

Johnson told the American Family Association's blogsite- OneNewsNow - she observed a young man wearing women's clothes and make-up exiting a women's dressing room and politely told him he could not re-enter because it was for the exclusive use of women. She said he angrily responded that he was a "female."

The cross-dresser was accompanied by five other individuals. The group argued with expletives that Macy’s is LGBT-friendly, to which Johnson replied that Macy’s is also non-discriminatory toward religion, and that it would go against her religious beliefs to lie to say that the young man was a woman or for her to compromise with homosexuality. The group then demanded to speak with a manager. ~ OneNewsNow Blog

After being advised by a Macy's supervisor that company policy allows transgendered to utilise any dressing room they may prefer, Johnson pointed out that the same policy also protects against religious discrimination and, in this case, it protects her right to her beliefs that were being violated. The supervisor then asked if Johnson intended to comply with Macy's established policies which she refused and was later terminated.

Mathew Staver, Founder and Chairman of the conservative right wing anti-gay Liberty Counsel, told OneNewsNow's blog:

“Macy’s policy which allows men to use the women’s dressing room is fraught with problems. This policy will cause significant problems and will alienate the majority of Macy’s customers. Macy’s has essentially opened women’s dressing rooms to every man. The LGBT agenda has become the theater of the absurd.”

Mother Of 14-Year-Old Says Openly Gay Son “Uplifted” By Support But Family “Sickened” By Posts Suggesting His YouTube Video Is A “Lie”

Jonah Mowry (Facebook)

LAKE FOREST, CALIFORNIA -- The mother of Jonah Mowry, the gay 14-year-old who has garnered national attention this past week over his YouTube videos that went viral talking about his anguish over being bullied, said her son has been "uplifted" by support online.

In an interview Tuesday with ABCNews, Peggy Sue Mowry said "I'm thankful. There are a lot of people that are giving their warm wishes and uplifting Jonah, and I think that's good." But Mowry also told ABC that the family was disheartened by other vile comments that had been posted recently online. "He is sick over all the horrible posts and so are we ... it is very overwhelming," said his mother, a 52-year-old hairdresser from Lake Forest, California.

Jonah's parents had helped him craft a response to deal with rumours that he was a fake. His father is Kevin Mowry, a music instructor technician at Saddleback College in Mission Viejo, California. The teen explained that he had made the dark video at 4:00 am just before starting school in the fall. 

"I was dreading going back to school and I had not come out to my family yet," he said. "Only my closest friends knew. I didn't know how to say what I needed to say. All I could think about were all the bad things that had been happening at school last year, every year for that matter." 

He said his friends were supportive and he thought the video would help others. "It had to be done," his mother told ABC. "So after school we had him sit down and compose it." Jonah's YouTube video went viral this week and some online accused the teen of being a "fraud," and looking for publicity. 

"I'm disappointed that somebody could look at the first video and then look at the second and think it's a lie," said his mother. "He's a child. He's a 14-year-old boy. He's very young,” adding, "First and foremost, I am proud of the responses we've gotten from people. I'm disappointed that people would question whether it's "true." 

Jonah had posted two YouTube videos about bullying. One, which was posted last August, was a wrenching account of his cutting injuries as a victim of school bullies.