Rhian Beutler tweeted this personal story that makes it clear why we can’t just “stop saying gay”. This is of course a reference to Florida’s bizarre “Don’t Say Gay” bill. Gov. Ron DeSantis signed a bill that forbids teaching gender identity or sexual orientation to kids in schools. This policy has obviously drawn intense national scrutiny for marginalizing LGBTQ+ people. We can’t just pretend LGBTQ+ people don’t exist, because they do and they deserve to feel safe. Be an ally. Here is the story:
Source: Rhian Beutler
(via: Crystal Moro)
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Where in the bill does it say “don’t say gay”? It’s often quoted, but which page is it on in the bill itself. I might’ve just overlooked it. I’m all for looking out for each other, but do we have to scare people through reaches and stretches and exaggerated claims. You’re no better than the people who are worried to death about the gay affecting their kids just because they talk to someone who might be gay themselves.
More think: where does it say you can say gay? The bill is JUST vaguely worded enough…
Say a teacher has a spouse of the same sex…by the wording of the Florida law, at what student age can the teacher have photos of their spouse on their desk? Say that their spouse is their spouse? Greet their spouse at the end of the day with a public display of affection(we have all seen the teacher who’s opposite sex spouse came to pick them up and there was a PDA).
What age is it safe for a student to ask questions to either mentor figures or their guidance counselor about, well, their being gay, or Ace?
A 1st grader has 2 moms/dads..other kids start bullying said kid…what can a teacher say, legally under the Florida law, to address the bullying and build bridges between the kids? They, legally, cannot say anything about the parents, as that is mentioning LGBTQIA+ before the law allows.
What age can a teacher have a picture of their spouse on their desk? All of them. To my knowledge, the bill attempts to address discussing sexual acts with children. A kiss on lips between partners can be shrugged off unless a kid probes at which point the teacher can say “I love this person the way your mommy loves your daddy” and one student may go “I have two mommys”. If i’m missing something can you please quote me a page number or passage from the bill itself so I may enlighten myself on this. That’s really not the interpretation I got at all, but I could’ve missed something in all the technical legalese.
For what it’s worth, a kid should be able to express themselves to their guidance counselers at whatever age they are when a guidance counselor is present. I’m not exactly sure how many 4 years olds are needing guidance counselers but every kid is different. I’d like to think there are ways a guidance counselor could talk to a child that doesn’t sound like a sexual advance or encouraging or leading the kid down a path when the child is clearly confused. I would expect an elementary school guidance counselor to not try to talk the kid into or out of any thought process but to encourage them to give it time so they can know for sure. Just because a kid may think something today doesn’t make it so tomorrow and that shouldn’t be considered a bigoted position. Help them come to their own conclusion without just taking them at their word especially depending on the age of the kid. 13, 15, 16 maybe there’s something to it. Maybe they’ve been asking all the right questions off and on for a couple of years now. But I hesitate just as much to affirm every passing thought in a kids head as I do the concept of shutting it down.
We shouldn’t stifle the idea altogether, but we also shouldn’t treat a thought as gospel as soon as it’s expressed either. And the bottom line is that from how I read it, the bill did not seem to outlaw gay discussions, it just ensure that a gay discussion wasn’t inherently a sexual discussion especially for 3rd grade and below. But like I said, if I missed something or read it wrong please show me where the bill itself said exactly what you’re saying it said. I’d love to be corrected on this.
Why don’t you stop concern trolling and stop gaslighting everyone who reads your comments. You know damn well that that’s an evil bill and is aimed at forcing LGBTQIA2+ kids into staying in the closet to avoid physical, emotional, and all other types of violence against them and their loved ones. You fucking disingenuous conservative bigot lapdog.