Welcome to the first Friday in April. This year falling on Good Friday. And on the second day of NorWesCon.

NorWesCon 43 is the third virtual convention I’ve attended since the pandemic began. The first day had a number of panels I enjoyed. One of the best parts was getting to see and hear a friend that I haven’t seen since Christmas 2019.

Which brings us to the Friday Five. This week I bring you: five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about so-called Christians, and five videos (plus something I wrote and notable obituaries).

Stories of the week:

A Dog Who Kept Sneaking into a Dollar General for a Unicorn Toy Gets His Plush and a New Start – The animal control officer who moved Sisu from the Dollar General store to the shelter bought the stray dog his unicorn toy before bringing the canine in

Former D.C. police chief: ‘There should be a higher standard for police’

The Dark Tales of the Christian Sex Addiction Industry – There’s a reason so many young men believe their sexual desires make them depraved—or worse

The GOP’s feverish hunt for NC election fraud uncovers a shocking result – clean elections

Conservative Christians are driving more Americans away from religion altogether – A new book finds that the more conservative politics and religion are inseparable, the more people identify as having no religion at all

This Week in News for Queers and Allies:

Nevada lawmaker Sarah Peters comes out as pansexual in moving speech – "Am I queer enough? Am I gay enough? What if I end up heteronormative, am I straight? Y’all, we are all enough and worth celebrating!"

Trans People Can Now Openly Serve In The US Military And Get Gender-Affirming Medical Care

Review: Lil Nas X’s “MONTERO” Music Video Is the Queer Visual We Didn’t Know We Were Waiting On

Lil Nas X’s proud dad is a gospel singer. A rightwinger on Twitter found out the hard way – While the religious right is flipping out over the new "satanic" video, it is officially Dad Certified

Hate Group Leader Tony Perkins Furious That Blinken Axed Pompeo’s Anti-LGBT Policy: He Doesn’t Care About “Biblical And Moral Law”

This Week in So-called Christians:

Oklahoma Pastor’s Midnight Execution Unravels Secret Threesome Love Affair

Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz under investigation over alleged sexual relationship with teen. Like No Other: TIMELINE of Gaetz Headlines

Matt Gaetz paid prostitutes using Cash App and Apple Pay — and there are receipts: NYT bombshell

A middle school teacher reportedly told students that LGBTQ people are “sinful”

Masterpiece Cakeshop Once Again in Court for Alleged Anti-LGBTQ+ Bias

Things I wrote:

Confessions of an old white-bearded blogger

In Memoriam

Beverly Cleary, beloved children’s author, dies at 104

Beverly Cleary Wrote About Real Life, and Her Readers Loved Her for It – The creator of Ramona Quimby and Henry Huggins constructed a world that children recognized — one that changed with the times

Larry McMurtry, Oscar Winner for ‘Brokeback Mountain’ and Author of ‘Lonesome Dove,’ Dies at 84

Larry McMurtry, author of ‘Lonesome Dove’ and other novels, dies at age 84

Videos

Click on the image to be taken to the video!

Stephen Colbert: The Establishment covers Matt Gaetz’s underage sex scandal

Trump’s Legal Tornado! Massive Lawsuits Put 45 In ‘Serious Trouble’

Rachel Maddow – Why Biden Infrastructure Plan’s Popularity May Represent A Political Turning Point

Seth Meyers – CNN Lost 45% of Its Audience Since Biden Took Office, though it’s not what you think

NSFW – Lil Nas X – MONTERO (Call Me By Your Name) – Official Video