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Welcome to the first Friday of July!

We finally rolled the portable a/c units out of the closet last week. It’s been hot and the pollen count is high. That has not resulted in a pleasant week.

Anyway, it’s time for the Friday Five in which I bring you: two stories about the christianist-nazis who are destroying freedom, two stories about not giving up, the top five stories of the week, five stories of interest to queers and our allies, five stories about homophobes/transphobes, five stories about deplorable/treasonous people, and one notable obituary.

This Week in Fascism Destroying Our Nation:

How the Christian right took over the judiciary and changed America – Leaders of the movement understood very well that if you can capture the courts, you can change society The Nazis have control of the Supreme Court.

Anti-Abortion Activists Will Aim Viciousness at Marriage Equality

This Week in Not Giving Up:

How To Support Abortion Rights After Supreme Court Opinion

Lori Lightfoot doesn’t give AF if you were offended by her comments about Clarence Thomas

Stories of the Week:

In about-face, Biden backs filibuster change for U.S. abortion rights

Many Pakistanis dig the cultural nods on ‘Ms. Marvel’ but are mixed on casting

The U.S. to offer nearly 300,000 doses of monkeypox vaccine in coming weeks

Pride Supporters Drown Out Proud Boys At Texas Library Event

Early human fossils found in cave are a million years older than expected

Stories of Interest to Queers and Our Allies:

Democrats introduce Transgender Bill of Rights to fight Republican anti-LGBTQ attacks One of those introducing this bill is my own Representative.

LGBTQ lawmakers win primaries in 3 states

The GOP Is Terrorizing LGBTQ+ Youth, But the Kids Are Fighting Back

World’s oldest Methodist church to allow gay marriage

The New York City Queer Liberation March proves “We’re still here. And we’re still fighting.” – Is joy the queer community’s greatest weapon?

This Week in Homophobia and Transphobia:

New Documents On Foiled Patriot Front Attack Of Idaho LGBTQ Pride Event Show FBI Monitored Multiple Hate Groups A Year Prior

Are LGBTQ Republicans similar to Jews for Hitler? – As history has clearly shown, LGBTQ people who support the far-right Republican agenda are on a one-way path to self-destruction

Oregon School’s Ridiculous Battle Over ‘Handmaid’s Tale’ Ends With Book Ban

Why Is Chris Pratt Lying About His Religious Past? And why does he think anyone is stupid enough to believe it?

Safe-space clubs for LGBTQ students increasingly targeted by right-wing activists

This Week in Haters, Deplorables, and Seditious Traitors:

Conservative lays out 5 reasons why Cassidy Hutchinson’s ‘stunning’ testimony was so damning for Trump and his allies

SCOTUS term: what this court is saying about men’s rights versus women’s

Proud Boys Terrorize Drag Queen Story Hour in Nevada

Election deniers have taken their fraud theories on tour — to nearly every state

Trump Is in Trouble and He Knows It – The two big stories of this week are more closely linked than meets the eye

In Memoriam:

Marlin Briscoe, the 1st Black starting quarterback in the AFL, dies at 76