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| An image from an old religious tract shows the 'gays groom kids' lie. |
In spite of claims to the contrary, the narrative that the LGBTQ community - particularly the trans community - are looking to "sexualize" or "groom" kids is not a new one. It's an old lie and it's been very successful throughout the years. Unfortunately, nowadays it has been refurbished by social media influencers and believed by people who have no knowledge of or are willfully ignorant of the many avenues social conservatives employ to use it.
First of all, claiming that certain parties want to harm kids is an old canard used against so many other groups, including Jewish people.
From the handout, Echoes and Reflections:
Taken from the children’s book, The Poisonous Mushroom, the caption in this picture reads: “Here my little one, you get something very sweet, but as a reward you both must come with me.” This caricature portrays an elderly Jew trying to tempt small children with candy. It relies on one of the basic fears of all parents and the common instruction to little children not to take candy from a stranger. There are links made between “a stranger,” “danger,” “poison,” and “a Jew.” The Jew is portrayed as a dark, evil, threatening, manipulative stranger, as opposed to the innocent, pure, naïve Aryan children.
Exploiting parental fears while denigrating LGBTQ people as dangerous outsiders who are up to no good, much like is done in the graphic above, is a hallmark tactics in anti-LGBTQ propaganda. However, there are some differences. It can be blatant.
Hidden behind religious belief.
Or even behind the guise of statistics (which are usually lies or deliberately taken out of context).
But the most dangerous and possibly successful use of the "LGBTQ people are grooming children" narrative is when it's subtle. That's when social conservatives don't outright and accuse LGBTQ people of pedophilia or grooming. Instead, they imply that kids will be harmed by any law or action created to benefit the LGBTQ community.
Such as marriage equality
Non-discrimination ordinances
