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Today in Flori-duh, where Nazis can march and the governor doesn’t condemn them, lawmakers will be considering the state’s new Don’t Say Gay bill. This bill would regulate LGBTQ+ instruction and conversation in the classroom and would allow parents to sue over alleged violations. The bill’s sponsor, Republican—because, of course—Joe Harding is also sponsoring an amendment to the bill that will out any child in Flori-duh schools to the parents. Harding does like to point out that the bill has an exception, allowing school personnel to decline to out kids to parents “if a reasonably prudent person would believe that disclosure would result in abuse, abandonment, or neglect.” So, if the gay kid might be abandoned by his or her parents, or beaten by his or her parents, or neglected by his or her parents, you aren’t required to out them, but you can. Keep in mind that LGBTQ+ youth are four times more likely to attempt suicide, but, hey, those are the breaks I guess. If a gay kid kills himself because a bigoted and hate-filled school employee decided outing them was the right thing to do, so be it. I guess that might be easier than going to school every day knowing you aren’t allowed to talk about your two dads, your two moms, your gay uncle, lesbian cousin. In February, President Biden in February condemned the bill as “hateful” and added: “I have your back, and my administration will continue to fight for the protections and safety you deserve.” Joe Homophobe responded with a video countering White House talking points which features White House press secretary Jen Psaki’s remarks and his counterpunch: “The President and his team decided to distort the truth and outright lie about my bill that empowers parents.” The truth is you cannot discuss LGBTQ+ people in school if this bill passes. The truth is if a child identifies as LGBTQ+ you can out them to their parents. The truth is Flori-duh is walking backwards under its GOP leadership. And Flori-duh isn’t the only Hate State. A bill in Tennessee would ban textbook and instructional materials that “promote, normalize, support, or address [LGBTQ+] lifestyles” in K-12 schools. A bill in Kansas, seeks to amend the state’s obscenity law to make using classroom materials depicting “homosexuality” a Class B misdemeanor. Legislators in Indiana are working to bar educators from discussing “sexual orientation,” “transgenderism” or “gender identity” in any context without permission from parents. An Oklahoma Senate bill would ban public schools from employing anyone who “promotes positions in the classroom or at any function of the public school that is in opposition to closely held religious beliefs of students.” We thought once we reached Marriage Equality we were safe. We are not; the GOP is coming for us with religion as the reason and so the march goes on … CAST A GODDAMNED VOTE.  |
Tuesday, February 22, 2022
Hate States On The Move
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I was just reading about the Florida bill before I checked blogs. It is unbelievable. As a teacher and as a human being, I am appalled that this type of bill would even be proposed by someone.
ReplyDeleteI would love to see Joe Harding's browser history.
ReplyDelete@ Michael McEwen
ReplyDeleteIt’s sickening. Thing about the student with two same-sex parents, who will not be allowed to discuss family in schools.
Think about the young student, questioning their orientation, and the school outs them to their parents.
It’s, again, sickening.
@Victor
That idea scares the bejeesus outta me!
I've told people over and over again that when gay marriage passed, something bigger was coming down the drain. The religulous wrong have their eyes set on tearing everything down. They hate secularism. The Supreme Court is hearing a case that could decide a ton of rights for LGBTQ people.
ReplyDeleteXOXO
We are not safe. We need to stand up and be counted because they have every intention of taking away every right we have.
ReplyDeleteI was a facilitator with an LGBT Youth support group in the late 80s. We had several kids who had been disowned by their parents, others who were subjected to fire and brimstone by pastors, others who suffered physical and emotional abuse by their peers - and that was without a Florida law that would have made their lives even more dangerous and difficult. As a "former" activist I really did believe that we had made irreversible progress. I underestimated the power of hate and the determination of haters.
ReplyDeleteThe state of Florida is not acting in the best interests of children - the only people Death Star cares about are all the braindead oldies who vote Repugnant.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of individual citizens have grown more enlightened and respectful over the years. The majority of local governments seem to have gone in the reverse direction.
ReplyDeleteAbuse and denial on such a big level... right out there in the open... will homophobia rule the day? Stay tuned.
ReplyDeleteHard to keep it civil when I try to think about what the 4ell happened to Florida.
ReplyDeleteBeyond crazy!!!
ReplyDeletexoxo :-)
Ah yes, my home state. Lots of churchy folks and older people, two demographics that are often (but not always!) hostile to the gays.
ReplyDelete(For the benefit of your readers, Bob: I say "the gays" in an ironic way, being one of them myself.)