'Don't Say Gay' bill not just in Florida. Tenn lawmaker now trying to pass similar bill.

This from Raw Story doesn't put me in any state of shock. It's stupid and totally uncalled for, but  say pour it on. When those who oppose your basic freedoms are empowered to show their true faces, let them. Let them show the entire world just how hateful they are.

But just don't let them get away with it:

As Florida's dangerous and possibly unconstitutional "Don't Say Gay" bill gathers nationwide attention and condemnation – making it more likely to be passed and signed into law by Republican governor and rumored 2024 presidential hopeful Ron DeSantis, another Republican is dusting off his own "Don't Say Gay" bill to push his "Christian values" agenda.

Tennessee state Rep. Bruce Griffey says if schools are forcing him to teach Christian values at home because they won't teach them in the classroom, they should not be allowed to "promote" what his legislation calls "LGBT issues or lifestyles." 

 “The state of Tennessee is not allowed to teach my daughters Christian values that I think are important and they should learn, so I teach those at home,” Rep. Griffey told Tennessee's WMC, as The Advocate reports. “So if those are not part of the school curriculum, I don’t see how LGBTQ and other issues and social lifestyles should be part of the curriculum.”

According to The Advocate:

Tennessee lawmakers have tried several times to pass such a bill and have failed. Bills to this effect came up in 2011 and 2013 but didn’t pass, and Griffey’s bill was put on hold last year because of the pandemic. But now he’s out working on it, and it’s part of a spate of anti-LGBTQ+ legislation the state is considering, including one bill that would restrict gender-affirming care for minors and one that would allow teachers and other school staffers to disregard students’ preferred pronouns. The state saw five anti-LGBTQ+ bills become law last year, including a ban on transgender student athletes competing under their gender identity, and this year looks to be even worse, 

Chris Sanders, executive director of the Tennessee Equality Project, tells The Advocate. “The 2022 legislative session has brought the most discriminatory bills ever,” he says in a email. “Attacks on gender-affirming care, trans athletes, and LGBTQ materials in schools are themes that connect this year’s bills to previous sessions. We also face new attacks on student pronouns with a bill allowing school personnel to disregard them, which is nothing short of state-sanctioned bullying. Given the number of bills that passed last year, we have to treat them all as if they could advance. So we have steps that advocates can take each week of the session. An easy way to find them is on Twitter.”

'New York City's only shelter for LGBTQ adults is a 'nightmare,' ex-residents say' & other Fri midday news briefs

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Students walk out in protest after being forced to attend anti-LGBTQ group’s Christian revival​ - A certain group of Americans are going just a bit too far. 

This courageous bi high school football player is showing the way for inclusion in a hidebound game - This is why certain people are trying to shut down the voices of LGBTQ youth. 

Prince Harry vows to continue Diana’s HIV work - Good for him! 

Education Department dismisses complaint against BYU over gay dating ban - Oh well.

Hate group leader who linked LGBTQ people with Satan supports Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill

Florida's highly bigoted 'Don't Say Gay' bill would be a disaster to LGBTQ kids and same-sex families. We already know this. Thursday provided more proof.

 It's been vouched for by anti-LGBTQ hate group the Family Research Council.  Notice how FRC president Tony Perkins frames the bill as while criticizing President Biden for condemning it

The bill doesn't protect children. Instead it renders LGBTQ children and same-sex families invisible. And it looks like FRC has already started pushing the message of erasure. No one with prior knowledge about the group should be surprised.

After all, the Family Research Council has been called a hate group by the Southern Poverty Law Center because its brand is about smearing LGBTQ people via junk science, cherry-picked science and general lies. The purpose is to undermine our rights by making us seem like boogeyman out to wreck Christianity, American society, and, of course 'recruit children.' 

Like when Perkins said that LGBTQ people were 'pawns' of the 'evil one'

 

Or when another FRC spokesman, Peter Sprigg, voiced a desire to kick LGBTQ people out of America 

    

But back to Perkins because he is a veritable sounding board of homophobia. Amongst other attacks against LGBTQ people, he has

Accused the government of backing “the promotion of same-sex relations” as part of its “push for population control.”

Said that “the human race would be extinct” if homosexuality were to become “normal.” 

Defended Uganda’s “kill-the-gays” bill as a “laudable” effort “to uphold moral conduct.” 

Claimed gay youth have a higher suicide rate because they intrinsically know their sexual orientation is “abnormal.”

 Asserted that there is “a correlation between homosexuality and pedophilia” and that pedophilia “is a homosexual problem.”  

Likened homosexuality to alcoholism and drug addiction. 

Said lawmakers who backed the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell have “the blood of innocent soldiers on their hands.”

Florida legislators need to take a long and intricate assessment of their 'don't say gay' bill. They may claim that it won't harm LGBTQ kids or same-sex families, but if someone like Tony Perkins and his group wholeheartedly supports it, you better believe it's gonna hurt.

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House passes bill seeking to further protect LGBTQ rights around the world - Now it has to get past the Senate (oh lawd!)

Video - Florida returns to the dark days of Anita Bryant with 'Don't Say Gay' bill - Repeating my post from last night. I got the vaseline, headscarfs, and tennis shoes for those of us who want to fight vigorously against this mess. Cause Florida will not be the only state pushing bills like this. 

 Recap of Anti-Transgender Legislation In Progress - My point!

Religious Right’s anger shows hollowness of recent political victories - So true. But the religious right is so deluded, they are going full speed ahead anyway.

Video - Florida returns to the dark days of Anita Bryant with 'Don't Say Gay' bill

In 1977,  spokeswoman for the Florida Citrus Commission and former beauty pageant contestant Anita Bryant led a controversial but highly successful campaign to repeal a Dade County nondiscrimination ordinance. She did so by spreading ugly lies about gay men wanting "access" to children.  Her campaign was the first organized opposition to our rights.

One would think that 45 years later, people wouldn't fall for the same lie. But as the above video from Equality Florida proves, it's easy to fool people repeatedly with the same lie as long as you repackage it, such as with this 'Don't Say Gay' bill moving through the state legislature.

Florida has gone from 1977's 'Save Our Children' to 2022's 'Don't Say Gay' and the only thing we've seemed to have learned is how easy it is to needlessly scare people with horror stories - even implied - about gays and children. 

In some ways, America hasn't changed at all since 1977. And that is depressing.

'FL legislature advances 'don't say gay' bill after DeSantis voices support' & other Wed midday news briefs

Florida Legislature advances "Don't Say Gay" bill after DeSantis backing​ - DeSantis and Florida are simply determined to walk through it all with gasoline underwear. By all means, please do. 

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In a First, Asian-American Lesbian Confirmed to Ambassador-Level Post - Another achievement!

The Moderna HIV vaccine trials are underway - Keep your fingers crossed.

Biden Administration strongly condemns Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill

From The Hill: 

 The White House on Tuesday condemned a bill making its way through the Florida legislature that would prohibit the discussion of sexual orientation or gender identity in the state's primary schools.

 "Every parent … hopes that our leaders will ensure their [children's] safety, protection and freedom, and today conservative politicians in Florida rejected those basic values by advancing legislation that is designed to target and attack kids who need that support the most, kids from LGBTQI+ community," White House press secretary Jen Psaki said in a briefing with reporters. "Make no mistake, this is not an isolated action in Florida," she continued. "Across the country, we’re seeing Republican leaders taking action to regulate what students can or cannot read, what they can or cannot learn, and most troubling, who they can or cannot be. This is who these kids are, and these legislators are trying to make it harder for them to be who they are." 

 Psaki, when asked why the administration was weighing in on state legislation, said the White House felt it was important to speak out against the Florida law. The Parental Rights in Education law, which critics have described as the "Don't Say Gay" bill, would bar discussion of sexual orientation in elementary schools across the state. Republicans argue the discussion of LGBTQ issues is not age appropriate for those students.

Another dangerous component of the bill is that it would force teachers to out LGBTQ youth to their parents, potentially exposing them to homelessness if their parents kick them out of their homes or violence with their parents being the culprits. Unfortunately, in spite of all of the condemnation, the bill continues to be moving forward through the FL legislature.

White House statement on Florida's 'Don't Say Gay' bill:

“Every parent hopes that our leaders will ensure their children’s safety, protection, and freedom. Today, conservative politicians in Florida rejected those basic values by advancing legislation that is designed to target and attack the kids who need support the most – LGBTQI+ students, who are already vulnerable to bullying and violence just for being themselves. But make no mistake – this is not an isolated action. Across the country, we’re seeing Republican leaders take actions to regulate what students can or cannot read, what they can or cannot learn, and most troubling, who they can or cannot be. This is politics at its worse, cynically treating our students as pawns in a game and not people who deserve love and respect. At every step of the way, Republicans have peddled in cheap, political attacks, instead of focusing on the issues parents, students, and teachers care about.

 Just imagine what it would feel like to be a kid watching the leaders in your state bully you through legislation that tries to erase your existence. These types of attacks are the root cause of the mental health crisis that too many LGBTQI+ children face. The President wants LGBTQI+ young people who may be feeling scared or alone to know that they are loved exactly for who they are, and that he won’t stop fighting for the protections and safety they deserve.

 Instead of making growing up even harder for our young people, President Biden and his Administration are focused on keeping schools open, providing resources to combat learning loss, and supporting students’ mental health. The Biden-Harris Administration will continue speaking out against harmful anti-LGBTQI+ bills and taking steps to protect our nation’s students.”