Televangelist and failed 1988 Republican presidential candidate Pat Robertson lamented on his 700 Club broadcast Monday that dead military figures would not have approved of the first same-sex weddings held at United States Military Academy at West Point. Among those who would be most upset, he suggested, was Gen. Robert E. Lee, whose status as an alum was arguably overshadowed in history books by his stint as commander of the Confederate Army.

Lee Webb, a anchor on the program announced what he termed the “sad” news that one of the members of the first-ever class of women to graduate from the Academy (in 1980) had married her partner of 17 years in the West Point Cadet Chapel. Robertson, creaking in his chair, expressed horror at the news, on behalf of the school’s dead alumni:

WEBB: The U.S. Military Academy at West Point hosted its first same-sex weddings. They were held over the past two weekends, one of them in the academy’s historic chapel. Army chaplains from other posts performed the ceremonies because the denominations of the West Point chaplains do not allow them to perform same-sex marriage ceremonies. New York legalized same-sex marriage last year; a few months later Don’t Ask Don’t Tell was repealed and gays were allowed to serve openly in the military. A sad day, Pat.

ROBERTSON: General Douglas MacArthur rolling over in his grave. Ulysses S. Grant rolling over in his. Robert E. Lee rolling over in his. What have we done to our cherished institution?

Watch the Right Wing Watch video:

(h/t: Blue Virginia)

This Saturday, the American Psychiatric Association board of trustees approved the latest proposed revisions to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, what will now be known as the DSM-5. This marks a historic milestone for people who are transgender and gender non-conforming, as their identities are no longer classified as a mental disorder. Homosexuality was similarly declassified as a mental disorder in 1973.

Until now, the term “gender identity disorder” has been used to diagnose people who are transgender. For conservatives, this has provided rhetorical carte blanche to describe the entire trans committee as disordered, delusional, and mentally ill. In some cases, this diagnosis has even been used to discriminate against trans people, with claims that they are unfit parents or employees, as examples. On the other hand, insurance companies have been more willing to cover the expenses associated with transition under this language, because treatment for a disorder is considered medically necessary, rather than cosmetic.

The new manual will diagnose transgender people with “Gender Dysphoria,” which communicates the emotional distress that can result from “a marked incongruence between one’s experienced/expressed gender and assigned gender.” This will allow for affirmative treatment and transition care without the stigma of disorder. Earlier this year, the APA also released new health guidelines for transgender patients, as well as a position statement affirming transgender care and civil rights. Both documents align with a new standard for respecting trans people in the medical community.

It was only after homosexuality was declassified as a mental disorder that ex-gay ministries formed, protesting the medical community’s decision to affirm non-heterosexual orientations. Some dangerous ex-trans ministries exist already and are championed by Focus on the Family, NARTH, PFOX, and other anti-LGBT organizations. It’s possible that these efforts may similarly increase in the wake of this DSM revision.

Brian Sims (D) was set to become Pennsylvania’s first openly gay state lawmaker when he takes office in January, but now Republican Rep. Mike Fleck has beat him to it. Fleck, an Eagle Scout and Liberty University graduate, came out privately last year after years of trying to deny his sexual orientation and the end of his marriage to his wife. Now he’s gone public with his story, describing the long struggle to reconcile his Christianity with being gay:

FLECK: I sought out treatment from a Christian counselor, but when that didn’t work out, I engaged a secular therapist who told me point blank that I was gay and that I was too caught up in being the perfect Christian rather than actually being authentic and honest.

Through years of counseling, I’ve met a lot of gay Christians who have tried hard to change their God-given sexual orientation, but at the end of the day, I know of none who’ve been successful. They’ve only succeeded at repressing their identity, only to have it reappear time and time again and always wreaking havoc not only on themselves, but especially on their family.

Fleck says he has no plans to change the way he votes in the Assembly. Representing one of the most conservative districts in Pennsylvania, he has been criticized for only being a moderate Republican.