When Obama was running for president, talk radio legend Lynn Samuels (a devoted Hillary supporter) was asked if this was progress.  After all, he was a black man.  “Yeah, but he’s still a man!”  You know how we’ve all been praising Pope Francis for his progressive views?  Yeah, but he’s still a Pope.  And that came through loud and clear this week when the Vatican released Dignitas Infinita (or Infinite Dignity) – a 20-page document that was personally approved by Pope Francis.  In this doctrine, the Vatican denounces gender reassignment by saying, “It needs to be emphasized that biological sex and the sociocultural role of sex (gender) can be distinguished but not separated” – whatever the hell that means.  On the flip side, Franny does maintain his support for homosexuality.  The report condemns “the fact that, in some places, not a few people are imprisoned, tortured, and even deprived of the good of life solely because of their sexual orientation”.  The Catholic Church also continues to oppose abortion, euthanasia, and even surrogacy.  And this got me thinking – if Jesus was the son of God, then wasn’t Mary kind of a surrogate?  Unless some hanky-panky went on and Joseph just bought that whole “immaculate conception” story.

You wouldn’t expect a related story from The Beastie Boys.  But they’ve revealed that Rat Cage Records was founded by Donna Lee Parsons – a trans woman who wanted to get surgery.  She signed the Beastie Boys for their first shows and recordings.  Knowing Donna wouldn’t accept charity, the band gave her money that they said was royalties from their EP.  She used the cash for gender reassignment surgery.  That she died of colon cancer a year later I’m sure cannot be linked back to the Beastie Boys – at least not in a court of law.