Where's the Humanity in Don’t Say Gay?

🤓 Bite-Sized Knurd: The anti-LGBTQ legislation in Texas, Florida, and elsewhere fail to see the humanity behind the people they are targeting. The ongoing sexualization of the LGBTQ community is part of the cause.

Read on for more…

On My Mind

The Audacity of Don’t Say Gay

I’ve been watching what’s happening in Texas and Florida with shock & agony.

I think of the young trans kids who already have it hard enough, of the mothers who are just doing their best to protect their kids, now fearful that the government might take them away, and and of the closeted queer kid in high school who’s even more afraid to come out.

Grade school is hard enough for gay kids; why make it even harder?

Sexualizing a Community

What I’m really struck by when right-wing personalities scream that kids shouldn’t be learning about sex at such a young age, is the “sex” of it all.

Kids learn about heterosexuality as soon as they’ve left the womb. Has anyone seen the baby onesies that say “ladies man” or “sorry boys, I’m daddy’s little girl”? If two toddlers are having fun, then you might hear comments about being “boyfriend and girlfriend.”

But Laura Ingraham loses her mind when little Timmy talks about his two moms in class?

How does that make sense?

I had many friends re-post this last week and it was a mind-blown moment for me. 🤯

The straight-up hysteria that is surrounding these right-wing anti-gay bills comes into clearer view when you realize that they only think of us in relation to sex.

“They view queerness not as a complex part of someone’s identity from the time they’re born, but as a series of sexual acts exclusively for adults. This is wrong.”  - matt bernstein

Every letter in LGBTQ is filled with people who live full, three-dimensional lives. We are human beings who want our basic needs met, to feel safe, to feel connected to loved ones, and to live out our dreams. And I’m sure little Timmy’s moms really just want their kid to feel loved and supported.

The LGTBQ community is overly sexualized to other us.

The dehumanizing tactics are a way to make people fearful of a community that they don’t know. That fear is designed to control and divide so real progress isn’t made.

So yeah, I think it’s extremely important that young kids are exposed to queerness just as they are exposed to heterosexuality. Because it shows kids:

• There are many different ways to build a family
• They can grow up to be whoever they want to be
• There is no one way of being
• They can be safe in being themselves
• All of us are special and have a right to exist

Kids actually can grasp these basic concepts pretty easily. It’s the adults that have a harder time.

So to wrap up, why are you so obsessed with us?!

The Good Knurd:

Now's your chance to join in on the action! Thoughtful ways to influence change within yourself and your local community.

• 🤔 Thought Starter: What is your relationship with queerness? How have you perceived LGBTQ people in the past and how has that evolved?
• 🫂 Donate: Suppor Equality Florida or Equality Texas and the Trevor Project that supports LGBTQ youth to reduce attempted suicide.
• 🗳️ Vote: It might sound trite, but there is power in voting. Greg Abbott is up for re-election in November. My Texas friends, have you registered to vote?

We’d love to hear your thoughts. Leave a comment to share your perspective.