Wednesday, May 24, 2017

DeVos has no problem funding schools which discriminate against lgbtq families & children




Trump's Secretary of Education, Betsy DeVos, just showed that she has no problem giving tax dollars to schools who discriminate against same-sex families and lgbtg youth. She uses a weasel word, "flexibility" to cover up the bias.

 From The Huffington Post:

 Education Secretary Betsy DeVos said Wednesday that states should have the flexibility to decide whether schools can discriminate against LGBTQ students ― even if those schools get federal money. During a testy exchange in a House Appropriations subcommittee hearing, Rep. Katherine Clark (D-Mass.) told DeVos about Lighthouse Christian Academy, a private school in Indiana that receives state voucher money but denies admission to students from families where there is “homosexual or bisexual activity” or someone “practicing alternate gender identity.” Clark asked DeVos, whose budget seeks a $250 million increase for projects that include vouchers for private schools, if she would step in if that Indiana school applied for such federal funding. DeVos replied by saying she supports giving flexibility to states. “For states who have programs that allow for parents to make choices, they set up the rules around that,” she said. 

You can see the entire exchange in the video above. To me, however, this issue doesn't deserve any type of flexibility. Tax dollars have no business going to any schools which discriminate, especially against same-sex families or our lgbtq children.

'Why straight men kill the trans women they love' & other Wed midday news briefs

Jen Richards
Why Straight Men Kill The Trans Women They Love - A brutally honest piece from Jen Richards, a transgender woman and one which everyone should read.  It's not exploitative. Forget the stereotypes of transgender women trying to "trick" men because the truth is always more complex and powerful. It enthralled me from the beginning and I knew I had to put it in the news briefs. 

Taiwan Makes History As Court Rules In Favor Of Same-Sex Marriage - Hell yeah!!!

 Gay Dads Say Southwest Discriminated Against Them During ‘Family Boarding’ - Just a hot mess.

 Queer Prom A Safe Alternative For LGBT Teens - Queer Proms are a wonderful idea for our kids to be safe and have while being themselves.

 Harris, Carper seek answers on LGBT omission from 2020 Census - Nice to see that Congressional leaders aren't forgetting about us.