Our Wins of the Week - March 12, 2023

Good News For Progressive Views The Week Of 3/3-3/9

This weekly Sunday edition is available as a thank you to our paid subscribers but free to all for the month of March. These are the moments that inspired us this week and reminded us of the progress we are making every day. This goes out to all of the heroes fighting on the front lines who so deserve our praise. Thank you! — George and team

A Christian nationalist legislator from Missouri came clean about what motivated her to introduce an anti-LGBTQ “don’t say gay” bill in the state legislature:

“My moral compass,” she said during a hearing on her bill, “is compared with the Bible.”

Then she was grilled by an openly gay fellow Republican, who called her out during the hearing for her true motivation.

Heartland Signal @HeartlandSignal

MO State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R) criticizes fellow GOP Rep. Ann Kelley's anti-LGBT school bill. PC: Who is Martha Washington? AK: [George Washington's] wife. PC: With your bill, how could that be mentioned in the classroom? AK: That's not sexual orientation. PC: Really?

And as rightwing ideologues continue to pursue their crusade against LGBTQs, especially trans kids, Democrats around the country stood up to fight. Here are some great moments from the week:

Minnesota Governor Tim Walz announced an executive order that would protect gender-affirming care for trans children:

Governor Tim Walz @GovTimWalz

Today, I took executive action to protect access to gender-affirming health care in Minnesota.   My message is clear: Here in Minnesota, our LGBTQ+ neighbors will not be denied or punished for seeking life-affirming and lifesaving medical care.

Michigan’s newly-won Democratic majority in the state legislature passed a bill protecting LGBTQ+ rights. The moment of the bill’s passage was truly joyous.

Samuel J. Robinson @samueljrob

Here’s the moment Michigan House members passed SB 4, which protects LGBTQ+ residents under the state’s Elliot-Larsen Civil Rights Act. Passed 64-45, eight Republicans joined Dems.

And the New Mexico Senate passed a bill protecting gender-affirming care AND abortion rights.

Erin Reed @ErinInTheMorn

Amazing news! HB7 has just passed the Senate in New Mexico! This bill will ban discrimination and protect the right to gender affirming care and abortions in the state, making it a safe state to live in in a sea of unfriendly states nearby that target trans people and abortion!

Our faith in humanity also got a boost from this video of a young man calling his father as a dare to ask him what he would say if he told him he was gay.

His response is what we hope for all of our LGBTQ+ youth.

chris evans @notcapnamerica

🥹 https://t.co/Q06WS7GnhJ

And when right-wing troll and Daily Wire columnist Matt Walsh said he’d rather be dead than have a trans child, Lucy here showed him what he’d miss.

Erin Reed @ErinInTheMorn

This video is one of the most beautiful responses to Matt Walsh’s “I would rather be dead than have a trans kid.” Hell of a job Lucy.

We all could use a good laugh as well this week, so here are some winning impressions of GOP politicians from Matt Friend, who had MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin in tears! 

Here’s his Trump:

Dr. David A. Lustig @drdave1999

Brilliant impressionist Matt Friend had MSNBC host Ayman Mohyeldin laughing so hard that he cried. Friend may be the most talented impressionist out there right now. His mimicry of Donald Trump, Mitch McConnell, and Ron DeSantis is flawless. Have a look at these 3 clips.

And his McConnell:

Dr. David A. Lustig @drdave1999

Mitch McConnell.

And a spot-on DeSantis:

Dr. David A. Lustig @drdave1999

Ron DeSantis.

This Twitter hero used AI to recreate every U.S. president with a…{checks notes}...mullet.

Cam Harless @hamcarless

every american president, but they're all cool and they all sport a mullet 46. Joe Biden

Genius!

Also this week, we were reminded of the legacy of one of our true heroes. 

In the face of voter suppression laws across the red states, the memory of Rep. John Lewis was honored with the annual march over the Edmund Pettus Bridge in Selma, Alabama. President Biden joined the march to commemorate the 58th anniversary of the attack on unarmed marchers, which ultimately led to the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965:

Sherrilyn Ifill @SIfill_

#WeFightOn

Finally, a hero at a recent GOP conference handed Gov. Ron DeSantis a “snowflake” cutout, and well, you can see what message she had hidden inside for him.

Americans For Democracy @americansfordem

Someone made this for Desantis today in Iowa… look closely at the snowflake. The person that made this is my hero!

Here’s to the many heroes among us!

— George Takei and Team Takei